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Chapter Text

A foreign noise roused him from sleep, but it took him a few moments to register anything. He groaned and turned in bed, looking for his phone on the bedside table. His hand wandered around, searching in vain for his phone, catching nothing but air.

With a deep sigh, Aventurine opened one eye. It took a few seconds for his eyesight to adjust. It was only when he registered the foreign environment that he woke up completely, as if he'd been given a cold shower.

He sat up abruptly, looking around for something familiar, but it wasn't there. Books littered the tidy room, a desk by the window where documents were laid out, a wardrobe on the other side, and several paintings decorated the walls.

In the back of his mind, he told himself it was a refined decoration, but he paid it no mind, panic starting to set in.

Where was he? Had something happened last night? Why couldn't he remember anything in particular?

With the alarm still ringing at full volume, Aventurine scrambled to his feet, his feet entangled with the covers. He stumbled and leaned against the wall, trying to stop himself from falling. He opened the bedroom door, registering nothing else for the moment, only the fact that even the space before him was foreign to him.

He stared dumbfounded, unable to understand what was going on, into the living room. Like the bedroom, it was in perfect condition. The inhabitant of this apartment must have appreciated art, if the sculptures and paintings there said anything at all.

“What trouble have I got myself into this time?” he asked whoever was there to listen, and oh, wasn't his voice different from usual? Why was it deeper than he remembered?

Nervous, he returned to the bedroom, trying to find his phone. Surely, someone would remember what had happened last night and could help him remember. Nothing in his mind told him he'd been fooling around last night. He hadn't even gone for a drink!

If he remembered correctly, Aventurine had been rather tired, and had chosen to sleep earlier than usual, and that was that.

His eyes surveyed the room, and when he laid eyes on a somewhat familiar but clearly not his own phone, he frowned. What was Ratio's phone doing here...?

He picked it up cautiously, as if it were suddenly going to bite him. He was able to stop the alarm. The silence was unpleasant. The phone told him it was six in the morning. Several notifications appeared on the screen, but he didn't bother to read them. It wasn't his phone after all. With the phone showing him no response, and unable to unlock it, he set it back down on the bedside table.

“Ratio?” he asked, because surely he had to be there.

He cleared his throat, wondering why his vocal cords were so damaged he couldn't even recognize his voice.

When no answer came to his ears, he began to search the whole apartment.

The fact that he couldn't remember anything concrete from last night bothered him dangerously. It was the first time he was so confused in such a situation. Yet Aventurine remembered perfectly well that he hadn't seen Ratio for months, so surely if he'd met him last night, he'd have recalled it, right?

The living room didn't provide him with any information, although he noted in the back of his mind that most of the papers on the table were students' copies.

The kitchen was full of food: fruit, vegetables, pasta, rice... There were even a few cans. Heh, at least the person likes to cook, he thought as his belly made such a gurgling noise that he was embarrassed.

When he opened the bathroom door, the first thing he saw were little plastic ducks lined up perfectly in a row by the tub as if they were an army. He let out a laugh, at the absurdity of such a thing, while his confusion soared.

Apart from these toys, there was nothing unusual. There were numerous beauty products, skin care products, hair care products and so on.

Well, all in all, it was a totally normal apartment belonging to someone who liked to take care of themselves, and who appreciated art... and plastic ducks, no doubt.

Aventurine sighed, frustrated at not having found any answers, but decided to leave the apartment. He would surely put what had happened behind him, along with all the other inexplicable things that had happened in his life.

He was about to leave when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something he really, really didn't like. He tensed in spite of himself, and as if to prepare himself mentally, he turned slowly.... towards the mirror.

Ratio's face looked back at him in the reflection, just as shocked as he was.

“ What ....?”

And the reflection opened its mouth exactly as he had!

He approached the mirror slowly, not understanding the situation at all. But those eyes betrayed him in no way, as he placed his hands on his face while observing the reflection. He touched his nose, his cheeks, his forehead, his hair. He examined his locks, which were a little too long. They were a deep purple, not the familiar blond.

“How can this be?” murmured Ratio's voice, but it was he who spoke the words.

It took a few moments for his brain to understand what was going on -- after all, such a situation rarely occurred! But when he finally realized it, he started laughing hysterically.

It really was the best joke anyone could pull off. It really was! Living in the body of the great Veritas Ratio, if that wasn't a privilege, he didn't know what was!

As tears gathered from the corners of his eyes, and he still watched his reflection as if in awe of the sight (he was), he noticed that he'd never seen Ratio laugh like that, and such a sight almost made him uncomfortable.

He finally calmed down after a while. His mind, unable to come up with a coherent justification, tried to find something that would tell him what was really going on. What if it was all a dream? That nothing was real? What if he was caught in some kind of illusion that perfectly recreated reality? If that was the case, how could he get out of this false world?

An idea suddenly sprang to mind, like a light suddenly going on. Aventurine rushed back into the room, opened the wardrobe and grabbed the first clothes he could find. He slipped them on, not even looking at them in any detail.

He ran a hand through Ratio's hair, trying to make it a little flatter. 

As he was about to leave the apartment, he hesitated for a brief moment. Ratio's body was hungry. It was almost impressive. With a sigh, he went back into the kitchen, took some cookies out of the cupboard and shoved them in his mouth.

He almost choked and spat it all out, but at the last second he managed to swallow. Good, now he could go and test his theory.

Aventurine left the apartment, looked to his left and right, and seeing that there was not a soul to be seen in the corridor, headed for the door directly in front of him. He knocked and waited a few seconds before the door opened softly and an old woman appeared.

Her face lit up, immediately recognizing the person who had knocked. His heart sank. So it wasn't just an illusion.

“Dr. Ratio! It's been... a long time...?... Is there anything you need...?”

Huh? Why was she staring at him like that? Could she tell something was wrong? Could she see that it wasn't really Ratio standing in front of her?

A spark of hope lit his heart, and he was almost about to ask her if she knew anything about the situation, when he saw that she was staring alarmingly at his shirt.

Confused, he in turn looked down at his shirt.

A drawing of a huge, bright yellow duck grinning with all its ... teeth? was on the shirt. (A duck had teeth?)

“...”

Aventurine felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. Why did Ratio have this in his closet?!!!

He finally looked up after a long silence, the old lady looking at him with an almost amused expression. He put on his best smile, and laughed, “Haha, I think I was mistaken. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you.”

“Are you sure, my boy? You're acting strange today. Are you sick? Let me make you a little something to perk you up.”

As she was about to leave to go surely to her kitchen, leaving the door wide open for him to enter, Aventurine grabbed the woman by her clothes. Surprised, she looked at his hand before looking back at him, more intrigued than anything else.

He let go of her immediately, as if he'd just been burned. “I'm sorry,” he repeated again, “I've got to go. Have a nice day!”

And with that, he fled, literally fled, back into Ratio's apartment.

Aventurine leaned against the door and clutched his hair with all his might. He was obviously trapped in Ratio's body, and wasn't that a funny thought! He didn't even have the strength to laugh at such absurdity.

“What the fuck is going on? What am I supposed to do now?”

In another apartment, Ratio wondered exactly the same thing, even if his thoughts were more subtle.

Chapter Text

Topaz: Where are you?! The meeting is about to start! Did you forget or something????

Ratio had been staring at Topaz's message for at least ten minutes, unsure of how to react in such a situation.

Aventurine's phone seemed to burn in his hands. It hadn't stopped ringing since he'd become aware of the ... situation (if it could be called that), Topaz being visibly impatient.

He would have liked to answer and tell her he was ill or something so he wouldn't have had to show up, but unable to unlock the phone, he could only watch helplessly as the number of notifications skyrocketed.

Ratio put the phone down on the small kitchen table and stood up. He headed for the bedroom with a determined step.

He had someone to meet, and the sooner the better. And if his calculations were correct, as they constantly were, then this someone ... was currently inhabiting his body. He huffed in annoyance at the headache to come when he saw himself, his body, through Aventurine's eyes.

He distractedly opened the wardrobe, but stopped immediately, when he realized what was in it.

“Gambler, you're truly unbelievable,” he muttered under his breath, staring at all the clothes, each more complicated to wear than the last.

After much thought, he decided it would be best to wear clothes Aventurine was used to wearing, so as not to cause confusion if he came across people the blond knew.

It wasn't easy, but when he finished dressing and looked in the mirror, he was satisfied. He looked like the real Aventurine.

Except for a few things.

Like the grimace he wore, which distorted Aventurine's whole face.

He tried to smirk like he'd seen Aventurine do so many times, but it looked more like someone being constipated who was trying to push with all his might but to no avail. Ratio sighed. He supposed he couldn't be good at everything, like imitating someone, for example.

No matter. Still, he took the time to put the big gold watch on his wrist quickly, and left the apartment. He took care to lock the door; it may not have been his place, but he didn't want Aventurine to have to deal with a break-in on top of everything else that was currently going on.

Fortunately for him, or because luck was strangely on his side, there were few people outside. He was able to walk down the street without anyone recognizing him or coming to talk to him.

When he arrived in front of his home, as usual, it was quiet. Yet a feeling that a storm was about to sweep over him and his tranquility overwhelmed him.

When Ratio realized that the hallway was deserted, he opened the door to his home without a moment's hesitation. Fortunately, the door was unlocked.

He could see that his apartment had survived the mess that was Aventurine, but he could only observe his living room, before a chuckle that evolved into a roar of laughter drew his attention.

Aventurine was laughing open-mouthed, holding his stomach with one hand, as if to ease the pain of laughing.

Seeing him, his body, acting this way, made him frown even more.

“Is this situation funny to you?” he said dryly, crossing his arms.

A few sounds came from Aventurine's mouth, but they were incomprehensible.

Ratio sighed loudly, lamenting aloud, “Why is this happening to me?”

“Wa-wait... Haha, I'm sorry, I can't help it,” said Aventurine, finally calming down and wiping his eyes.

Ratio noted that Aventurine had dared to put on his t-shirt with his favorite duck. The audacity. A pang of jealousy sprang up in the depths of his heart; it was his shirt, it was up to him to put it on.

“It's just that,“ Aventurine resumed, taking the first chair near him, “I've never seen myself frown so much, and so strongly at that!”

Scowling, he went off to the kitchen to find something to make tea. Surely this conversation would be appropriate over a hot cup of tea.

He put the water on to boil and fetched his phone, ignoring Aventurine who was staring at him with disconcerting intensity. Was this how Ratio stared at people? If so, he was beginning to understand why people were uncomfortable.

A few minutes later, he pushed a steaming mug in front of Aventurine, who accepted it without batting an eyelid. He eventually sat down in turn, and they both stared at the swirl of tea in their cups, lost in thought.

“Well?” Aventurine broke the silence, looking up and Ratio plunged his gaze into the crimson gold. “How did you react when you realized what had happened?” He waved his hands in front of him, as if to prove a point, “I'm not going to lie to you, at first I thought it was an illusion. I mean, problems like this don't happen every day, haha!”

Ratio looked away. “There was nothing extraordinary that warrants more elaboration,” he said a little too quickly and Aventurine arched a purple eyebrow. “I'd personally prefer it if we talked about something more important, like getting our own bodies back and putting an end to this foolishness.”

Aventurine leaned his head against his hand, obviously captivated by something he'd said.

Mhh, maybe Ratio should dust his furniture soon, no?

“Oh, come on, Ratioooo~. Now I'm sure something happened. I want to know everything!”

Ratio grimaced, but he felt himself blush. Pff, he blamed his reaction on the body he inhabited. Nothing more.

“Drink your tea, instead of talking nonsense that borders on the absurd,” he muttered, doing exactly that himself.

Aventurine pouted, but Ratio didn't allow himself to be softened.

It wasn't that something incredible had happened when he'd discovered he was in Aventurine's body, it was just that the way he'd discovered it embarrassed him greatly.

If he admitted what had happened, he was sure Aventurine would laugh at him until Ratio finally exploded in frustration.

He cringed at the thought of what had happened this morning.

Grunting, he tried to sit up, but this was impossible for two reasons. Firstly, his body was very sore and the slightest movement caused his body to complain (odd, as he'd done his usual routine last night and hadn't tried a new training program). And secondly, for some reason, his bed had turned into a kind of puffy cloud that was so soft and his body was sinking so deep into the comforters... and the... dozens of pillows, that it was impossible for him to do anything.

Clearly not having slept well, he slowly opened one eye and found that it was still dark. Well, it rarely happened to him to wake up in the middle of the night, so surely he'd fall ill today. It was the only plausible explanation.

Ratio had his own trick for easing aches and pains and starting the day off right. So, taking a deep breath, he managed to get out of bed.

He removed his clothes one by one, paying no attention to the fact that the texture of the clothes was foreign. Carefully, he folded them and laid them on the bed.

He was sure that a good bath would clear away the fog of confusion in his mind, and relax his muscles, which were stiff and didn't seem to want to unclench.

With his head strangely empty of thought, he turned on the light...

...and stopped.

What?

Why did he have the strong impression of having shrunk a few inches?

He raised his hands in front of him, observing every detail and noticing that his hands seemed to be different. His fingers were thinner, more delicate... more feminine?

Ratio lowered his gaze and his brain short-circuited with incomprehension.

It was only when he looked up that he realized he was in a room totally unknown to him. He quickly scanned around the room, and when he spotted a phone on the bed behind a pillow, he scrambled for it, unease continuing to creep up on him.

He almost threw himself on it, like a desperate man who had never seen such a device before. He tried to switch it on, but something caught his eye and he stopped dead in his tracks. The phone's black screen reflected his face, or rather Aventurine's face.

Bewildered, he turned his head in all directions, but the view remained unchanged.

He rubbed his eyes. Several times. But it did nothing. 

After observing himself for a moment, he put the phone aside and looked down at his knees... His perfectly bare knees... No, Aventurine's perfectly bare knees...!

His whole head turned red at an alarming rate and he grabbed the first thing next to him, and hid... the most sensitive parts behind the pillow with all his might.

A single thought looped through his head, as if his mind were malfunctioning.

What the hell had Aventurine done?!

A snap of fingers in front of his eyes brought him back to the present, and he mentally corrected himself for his lack of attention.

“I apologize,” he said clearing his throat, struggling to meet Aventurine's gaze, “you were saying?”

Aventurine smiled strangely, his hand returning to wrap around his teacup. “Woah, Ratio, what were you thinking just now?” he asked as if he knew perfectly well the answer to the question.

He rolled his eyes but decided to change the subject. It was probably the best thing to do at the moment. “Enough of this. If this situation amuses you so much, tell me how to get  back in our bodies so we can get on with our lives in a normal way. I'm sure you're the reason we're stuck in this mess.”

“And why do you think I know how to get back into our bodies? I'm as clueless as you are! Besides, you're the genius, it's up to you to find a solution!”

He hummed, thinking about what might have happened and trying to remember something last night that was unusual and might have led to their problem today. But although he racked his mind for several minutes, he couldn't remember anything in particular.

“I'm going to have to carry out several investigations,” he said quietly and thinking aloud, “I'd like you to write down what you did last evening, if you noticed anything unusual, anything that might help us. While we're not busy with whatever it is we're supposed to be doing I'll do some research online, maybe even do some digging within the IPC. I'm sure they must have confidential files on a case like this... If you want to help, you can go to Veritas Prime and do some research in the university library. Thanks to my status, you could easily get to the reserved section.”

“Wait, hold on,” Aventurine said incredulously, shaking his head, “you want us to totally live each other's lives? Act like each other? I may know you well enough, but even I couldn't imitate you perfectly. Not to mention the fact that you're a genius, Ratio. My mind could never think like yours and teach people.”

He pinched his nose, huffing, “Do you have a better idea? I'm all ears,” Faced with Aventurine's silence, he resumed more gently, ”You may not have many degrees under your belt, but you're as smart as I am. I'm sure that with a few explanations from me you'll understand what I'm teaching, and you'll be able to teach others yourself.”

“...I see. But if this situation is going to go on for a while, I suppose we need to lay down a few rules that the other person must abide by.”

Ratio nodded, already contemplating several ideas, “I agree.” He laid his eyes on Aventurine and just watched him, remembering how badly he'd woken up in the morning, filled with aches and pains from head to toe. Even now, he felt phantom pains particularly in his arms and fingers.

With a calculating look, he finally grumbled, “You have to take care of my body. I don't want to find it in a sorry state. It's perfectly obvious that we should take care of ourselves, since our bodies are our sanctuary, but I feel it's necessary to remind you, given the way I woke up this morning... I'll send you my schedule, which you'll have to respect. Even if you don't like certain activities, I want you to do them. Every action benefits the body.”

“Don't tell me you want me to soak for several hours in your bath,” Aventurine teased carelessly, looking out the window and not seeing the dark look Ratio gave him, “But yeah, I'll do it. As you said, it's not my body, I'm not going to be disrespectful.”

Ratio nodded. At least this idiot still understood this. “And what about you?” he asked when several minutes had passed and Aventurine had said nothing.

Aventurine turned his attention back to him, but when his gaze met Ratio's, he immediately looked away, preferring to observe his now empty cup, “I don't care what you do with my body. As long as it still works, I'm fine with it. Just...” He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly embarrassed, “Don't go through my stuff. For you, it may be a mess in the apartment, but for me everything's perfectly tidy. I want to keep it that way.”

He couldn't help frowning, but refrained from saying anything that might offend Aventurine. Instead, he said, “Why should I go through your things? I think I'd have better things to do than waste my time on such trivialities. But if that's what you want, then fine.”

Aventurine nodded, humming distractedly.

Ratio opened his mouth to add something when a buzzing sound rang out. Aventurine looked at him with round eyes when he saw Ratio didn't react, “It's my phone.”

“Ah. Yes.”

Ratio took it out of his pocket and handed it to Aventurine, who accepted it with ease. After a few moments of silence, Aventurine sighed heavily and a sympathetic smile lit up his face.

This did something funny to Ratio.

“I guess with everything that's been going on, I've totally forgotten what I was supposed to do for today. You need to get to a meeting with the Stonehearts, as fast as you can.” He stood up and Ratio imitated him. “I'm afraid you'll have to hurry if you don't want to have a terrible moment with Jade.”

He hurriedly handed him his phone and almost ran out of the living room. Ratio looked at him, confused, wondering what he was doing.

Aventurine returned quickly, handing him a piece of paper. When Ratio arched an eyebrow, Aventurine explained, “This is the password for the phone. It'll be easier to contact each other and keep up to date with anything.”

“Very well,” he said before taking another piece of paper handed to him and writing down his password.

Once this was done, Aventurine put a hand on his shoulder and began to lead him towards the exit. Wait, wait.... Since when could Ratio be manhandled? And by Aventurine no less?

Aventurine must have heard his thoughts as he laughed, “Hurry up Ratio. You don't want to discover the wrath of the Stonehearts now do you? I'm going to offer you a little advice because I don't feel like dealing with any disagreements with the others. Just smile, nod, say yes or no in certain situations, and you'll be fine.” Aventurine had to lower his gaze to look at him. Ratio realized with some sorrow just how huge a difference of height there was between them. “It won't be hard for you to remember that, I imagine?”

“ What about you?” he asked almost stupidly, because he hadn't yet recovered from his realization.

They arrived in front of the door, and Aventurine hastened to open it and push him gently. “Me? Don't worry about me. Just send me your schedule when you have a spare moment. I will send mine as well.”

He gestured to go away with his hands, and in a voice a little too high-pitched for Ratio's taste, Aventurine exclaimed, “Now, go, go!”

Ratio rolled his eyes. “Very well, then. No need to shout, I can hear you perfectly.”

Aventurine smiled so much that his eyes turned for a moment into two crescent moons.

Ratio scowled, leaving at last.

Why did he feel that Aventurine was having so much more fun than he was?

Chapter Text

No sooner had he left his apartment than a new problem arose. But honestly, it was his fault. Ratio should have thought it through instead of rushing off. He took out Aventurine's phone and called him.

After a few seconds of waiting, he heard Aventurine's voice through the phone.

“Ratio,” he teased him gently, “did you forget something or what?”

Ratio sighed but merely said, “I'm not part of the IPC. If you could tell me clearly where the meeting is, it would save me from wasting even more time, and you from finding yourself in an embarrassing situation.”

Aventurine laughed, “Haha, I see.”

He pointed out several directions, and Ratio congratulated himself on having a good memory, otherwise he'd have forgotten everything Aventurine had told him.

He thanked him distractedly before resuming his walk at a brisk pace.

Ratio was feeling somewhat apprehensive about the forthcoming meeting. He wasn't really sure how he was going to act in front of the other Stonehearts who knew Aventurine in some way. However, he himself didn't know Aventurine's colleagues that well, apart from Topaz, whom he'd met once or twice.

He'd heard of them, especially Jade who seemed to be closest to Diamond, but other than that, that was it.

As he began to approach the meeting place, the tension in his body became more pronounced.

The looks some people were giving him made him very uncomfortable. Some didn't hesitate to voice their opinion of Aventurine, insulting him by mumbling to others.

Ratio was no stranger to envious glances, but hateful ones were new, even to him. It made him terribly uneasy.   Unconsciously, he played with his watch on his wrist trying to calm his nervousness.

“Look at him. He thinks he's better than us, flapping those clothes like a peacock flapping its feathers. This Avgin should be put in his place,” he heard someone mutter with all the hatred a human was capable of feeling.

He walked on, ignoring the other insults aimed at him, holding his head high and trying to ignore what was going on around him. Ah... He missed his plaster head terribly.

He felt anger rising inside him. His fingers moved unconsciously, wanting to create a piece of chalk, to take his plaster head, or to do something else, he wasn't sure. But all he wanted to do was put the fools in their place and teach them a lesson. Alas, he couldn't act like Veritas Ratio.

When he finally arrived in front of the meeting room, he took a deep breath and opened the doors with all the drama of which he was capable and which Aventurine would do if he were in his place.

He ignored the trembling of his hands.

A quick glance around the room told him he was the last of the Stonehearts to arrive. A man he didn't know was obviously speaking a few seconds earlier and it was with a sigh of annoyance that he finally sat back down in his seat, not forgetting to cast a dark look towards Ratio.

Most of the stares were directed at him. He felt judged in a way he'd never felt before. And for all his calm and skill, he found it hard to keep a neutral face.

Finally clearing her throat when she saw that Ratio wouldn't budge an inch at the entrance, Jade asked, “What are you waiting for, child? Don't you think you're late enough as it is?”

Ratio turned his attention to Jade. Her gaze was filled with false fondness as she watched him with surprising intensity.

He heard someone scoffing, but ignored it as he settled into the first available seat. Next to Topaz, he noticed.

He made eye contact with her, but she merely frowned and looked away from him at the documents in front of her.

As Aventurine had told him before, he didn't say a word, even when no one spoke and even when Jade continued to look at him.

“Well?” she asked with a teasing smile, “may we know what's caused you to be late?”

“Ah. Nothing.” He preferred not to say much. He didn't want to become the target of the other Stonehearts' suspicions on his first day. Ratio didn't necessarily know how Aventurine acted with his colleagues, so the best he could do was to do little.

A certain tension ignited in the room. “So you're telling me there was nothing holding you back, and yet you failed to get here on time?” She arched a pink eyebrow. Even that gesture was elegant. “You know very well that I absolutely can't stand anyone being late. Being late means losing precious seconds that could be used to make money for the IPC.” She finally put down the cup of tea she'd been holding in her hands for several minutes, and looked at him sternly. He wouldn't be able to escape this situation easily. “I'll only repeat myself once; where have you been?”

The viper. Really. This whole room was filled with businessmen and selfish people who thought of nothing but the money they could keep collecting while stealing from the poor. No one in the room came to his rescue. On the contrary, they were all staring intently at what was being played out in front of them, as if they were watching the ball go one way and then the other, like in a tennis match.

Topaz, beside him, shifted uncomfortably.

“I apologize.” Faced with Jade's tiny frown, he added albeit in grudging spite, “Madame. I may have forgotten to set my alarm clock.”

Some let out a cold chuckle, while others were visibly offended.

Ratio was satisfied, however. He was sure it was something totally improbable that Aventurine would be able to say in such a situation.

Jade judged him with her eyes. She knew he was lying, but really who wasn't lying in this room?

“Really?” she quipped, narrowing her eyes, “Maybe next time you should drink less in the evening.”

There were giggles this time, as if what she'd just said was the funniest thing they'd heard so far. The meeting resumed, and the man who had been speaking before Ratio interrupted him spoke again with a wave of Jade's hand.

Once the attention of the room was finally turned away from him, Ratio was able to relax as best he could while observing everyone around him. Most people were pretending to be interested in what was being said, while others were on their phones, clearly not listening.

Ratio held back a last-second scowl. If he had an audience like that when he was lecturing, everyone would get a piece of chalk to the forehead. It was their job, and they weren't even listening to anything, not to mention disrespecting the speaker.

He tried to concentrate, trying to understand even if it wasn't really interesting. Talking about statistics, revenues, debts, the local economy... wasn't really his cup of tea, even if he understood the ins and outs.

Apparently, a planet that worships Yaoshi had stolen several items and destroyed buildings belonging to the IPC. Several members of the IPC were killed in the tragedy. Most of the staff had died or fled, so little information could be gleaned to understand the situation. 

As he listened, he realized that this situation was far from new, and that it happened frequently. Inhabitants of remote planets often didn't know the IPC at all, or only by name, and thought they were there to take control of the planet, or to seize power.

A cup of coffee was eventually slid in front of him, and he turned to Topaz, looking at her inquisitively.

She leaned toward him, probably so as not to make too much noise, and whispered, “You look like you could use it.”

He nodded in gratitude, and brought the cup to his lips. To tell the truth, it would surely wake him up more. Aventurine's body was peculiar and he found it hard to adapt and deal with the changes. Ratio felt numb, as if his muscles had gone back to sleep. As soon as he dared to move, the aches and pains burned him, forcing him to wonder what Aventurine had been up to the day before.

His muscles were constantly tense, and although he forced himself to relax them, as soon as he stopped thinking about it, his muscles would tense up again. It was as if his body was in fear mode all the time, ready to pounce if danger appeared.

Ratio let his trembling fingers wrap around the cup, trying to warm them.

The rest of the meeting went off without a hitch, and Ratio began to understand why the others were so uninterested in what was going on. He himself tried to be as attentive as possible, but after a while, he finally gave up. Most of the time, they'd just repeat themselves, changing only the words, or they'd ask such stupid questions that it bordered on the absurd.

Only when he heard Jade speak again did he lend an ear.

“Well, if nobody wants to add anything, that's all for today. Thanks again to Obsidian for that clear and concise presentation.”

A few snorts were heard but Jade ignored them, “I'll hand your presentation over to Diamond.” She stood up and this seemed to be the order for the others to do the same. People began to leave, and some looked at him without hiding their lack of confidence and Ratio was about to leave too when he heard a voice behind him that stopped him.

“Remember the meeting times next time, or I'll have to tell Diamond. We should avoid that, don't you think?”

He turned, trying to smile as best he could at Jade. He realized that she was slightly taller than him (probably due to her heels), but this did nothing to comfort Ratio.

“Yes, ma'am. I apologize again.”

She chuckled delicately, but her eyes were as sharp as a blade, “Well, you're being very polite today. Where is Aventurine and what have you done with him?”

Ratio stiffened. It might have been a joke, but it rang a little too true to his current situation. His hands began to sweat.

He gritted his teeth, “I've no idea what you're talking about,” he preferred to say, because here he was entering dangerous waters. He didn't know Jade at all, only a few rumors, and Aventurine had only mentioned her once or twice at his side.

Jade looked at him as they left the meeting room together. They passed Topaz, who looked at him rather oddly as if she wanted to ask him something before changing her mind at the last moment.

“Apart from this little mishap,” Jade resumed in a nonchalant tone beside him. He forced himself to turn his attention back to her, “How are you in general? You don't look very well. I hope you don't spend all your evenings drinking. That's not what I taught you.”

Ratio looked at her. Her gaze was self-assured, full of vivacity and an intelligence that no doubt rivaled his own. She was a woman who knew how to be obeyed in a world where men dominated. He couldn't discern, however, whether her concern for Aventurine was genuine or not. For that reason alone, Ratio knew he had to remain on his guard.

“I feel fine,” he grumbled, scratching the tip of his nose.

Jade looked at him from a corner, while tucking a pink lock of hair back behind her shoulder.

“You should rest better, child. I don't want to see you in poor health after all...”

You only bring us profits when you're in top form, was what she rather wished to say, Ratio was certain. All his hairs stood up in disgust. In the end, this proved that everyone in the IPC, or at least most people, were vultures interested only in the lure of profit.

Jade was no different.

All the same, he simply nodded, not trusting what might come out of his mouth if he spoke.

This didn't seem to bother Jade too much, who simply grinned lightly. “You're acting really weird today,” she commented, “I won't bother you anymore then. Just don't forget to give me your report on your last mission, okay?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

She didn't wait for his answer before leaving. Well, Ratio couldn't say he was going to miss her presence. Their false concern, their honeyed tone, their false sympathy was really what he couldn't stand about people. At least when they were uneducated, there was a cure for that. But not for acting like this.

These people were hypocrites.

Ratio shook his head with a frown, turning around and heading for Aventurine's office. At least this time he didn't need any help from the blond. He knew the way, having been to this office several times before.

Now that he was finally free of the tasks he had to perform as Aventurine, at least for today, Ratio could begin his research. After a brief check of his phone, he found that Aventurine had not yet sent him his schedule. This was convenient for him. He could concentrate on more important things.

Ideas and theories began to swirl in his mind as he walked carelessly around the IPC building.

Ratio was certain that their situation must have arisen in the past. After all, why should the two of them be the only ones with this problem? They hadn't done anything in particular to end up like this.

He was almost tempted to contact the Genius Society, who could undoubtedly help them. The idea might be appealing, but he wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. The geniuses would undoubtedly be interested, but he was afraid they'd become more experiments than anything else. They'd run tests, make hypotheses, but in the end they wouldn't solve the situation.

He could already imagine the hungry look on Herta's face if she learned of their problem.

A shiver ran through him, and he quickly dismissed the idea.

The fact that he was in Aventurine's body gave him several advantages. Like having access to information that most IPC staff were not entitled to. He was certain that the IPC must have a file on... body swapping? Soul-swapping? He still wasn't sure what to call their problem.

Perhaps some ancient technology existed that allowed the soul to be put into another body. At least, he was certain that something similar existed, and every little element could help him understand a little more about the problem and find out what had happened.

A new idea sprang to mind. What if this was the work of the Masked Fools? Could they do this? But why-

Ratio bumped someone on the shoulder while he was lost in thought. He turned around, extending his hand without thinking to the young woman he had jostled. The latter picked up the files she had dropped and was about to take his hand to stand up when she looked up.

With a snarl, she dismissed his outstretched hand with a slap.

“Don't touch me, you fucking Avgin!” she hissed in disgust.

Stunned, he opened his mouth to say something, but she didn't give him time to reply.

After a glare, she said, “Stay away from me, you asshole.”

She quickly fled, like the coward she was.

Ratio would have liked to stop her and say a few words about what he thought of her behavior, when he glanced around. Most people had stopped and watched him with disgust, or hatred. They stared at him, their eyes filled with judgment, as if he'd just committed some nameless atrocity.

There wasn't a single face that showed that someone was going to defend him, or ask him if everything was all right.

He clenched his fists. So this was the reality in which Aventurine lived every day, never complaining?

He knew deep down that Aventurine was judged differently from other people, simply because of his birth, but he'd never imagined it would reach such proportions.

Why hadn't the blond said anything before? Had he already tried in vain? Was he afraid of being judged?

Ratio was a real fool if he thought that being Aventurine would have been simple and that as soon as this whole thing was over he'd be living in his little bubble again.

He couldn't ignore that kind of discrimination.

There was no point in defending himself. People would just be blinded by their hatred of Aventurine and twist his words. He shouldn't be wasting his time with people who refused to listen to reason and change their minds.

His breathing became a little shaky as he finally turned and continued walking. The stares of others burned his back, and he almost wanted to hide in a corner so that he could be forgotten, so that no one would see or judge him.

What a sad world he lived in.

Chapter Text

Aventurine opened the door to Ratio's apartment on Veritas Prime with growing curiosity. He knew Ratio wasn't someone who slept in a hole in the ground, but to have two well-located, luxurious apartments on two planets renowned for their wealth was more than a little surprising. Well, all the research he'd been doing must have paid off, he supposed.

He entered without hesitation, taking in everything with his eyes and noting once again that the apartment was filled with works of art. He was curious to know why Ratio had bought these works rather than others. Paintings filled the entire living room, while a few photos taken by famous photographers were displayed in the kitchen, protected by a tiny film against smoke and dust.

Everything was in order, as seemed to be the entire life of Ratio.

Aventurine wasn't jealous, he was merely observing the fact.

He quickly dropped his things in the bedroom, which was, once again, clean and immaculate. He noted, however, that this apartment seemed to be less full of Ratio's fingerprints, such as the absence of rubber ducks in the bathroom. This was surely due to the fact that he spent less time on Veritas Prime than on Pier Point.

After examining every inch of the apartment (he wanted to see what kind of environment Ratio lived in, okay?!), he finally settled down in the kitchen, grabbing an apple in the process. He wasn't particularly hungry, but he had to respect Ratio's rules.

As he bit into it, he took out his phone and sent a quick text to Ratio to let him know he'd arrived safely.

It had now been several days since they had... swapped bodies, and Aventurine had adapted to the situation fairly quickly. So far, he hadn't had to deal with too many people, but a certain apprehension began to gnaw at his heart. Tomorrow would be his first day at school, whether as a teacher or simply as Aventurine, and that made him feel very strange.

During his childhood, when he was still innocent of the cruelties of humanity and life, he liked to imagine himself at school, learning all sorts of things. He imagined coming home to his sister and mother and telling them what had happened that day, what he had learned new.

His sister, kind and indulgent as she was, would ask him questions and be interested in what he told her.

Unfortunately, his dream remained a dream and nothing more.

And now he had to go to university and act like a professor who knew what he was doing and saying? Ratio, kind Ratio, in his patience (and surely out of fear that Aventurine would shame him), taught him the basics of what he taught, even gave him books to read, videos to watch. He made him memorize his notes, so that he could recite them in front of the class without having to look at them.

Ratio no doubt knew that Aventurine was not yet fully confident in imitating Ratio in his lessons, and had prepared a surprise quiz for the students. He'd said, it won't be a surprise quiz for people who've been studying cleverly all year. As for the rest, too bad for them. They should have known better than to take it easy in my classes.

Aventurine was vaguely amused to see Ratio acting as a teacher.

The sour taste of the apple brought him back to the present, and he couldn't hide his grimace. How anyone could eat this of their own free will, he didn't know and had no desire to find out.

Through the messages and calls he and Ratio exchanged, Aventurine came to understand that his ease of change was not so reciprocal. Ratio seemed to be having some difficulty, and frankly? Aventurine wasn't surprised.

He himself had adapted quickly and without much difficulty, not because imitating Ratio was easy for him (far from it), but because of the people around him. He didn't feel judged by others, he didn't feel like a walking target for a few morons looking to insult the first person they came across.

He could breathe without difficulty, not feel the stares of others, not be afraid when someone opened their mouth to speak without knowing whether they were going to insult him or just ask a question.

In short, Aventurine had the vague impression of being able to feel freedom at his fingertips.

Wasn't this what he'd been looking for so long, before abandoning the idea because he thought it was stupid? And yet the reality was there, freedom was within his grasp. He could touch it, feel it, smell it, but he couldn't see it, simply because it was a false freedom created from scratch only for Ratio and not for someone like Aventurine.

It was Ratio's freedom, not his, and he had no right to take it.

So it was hard for him, knowing that he'd never get that kind of freedom, and that even if he could taste it, at the end of the day, at the end of their problem, he'd be back as Aventurine. Trapped by invisible but very real chains.

A corner of his mind wondered if Ratio had come to the same conclusions, and if that was why he was finding it hard to adapt and wanted to return to their original state as quickly as possible.

He couldn't blame Ratio.

Aventurine stood up, trying to chase away the bad thoughts that seemed to inhabit his mind constantly. Even the most beautiful apartment couldn't stop him from brooding.

As he put the apple core in the trash, he recalled the few interactions he'd had with other Guild members. Although it had been somewhat embarrassing, because he had laughed in a certain situation that the real Ratio would never do, or said something out of character, he had taken the time to analyze and study the people around him.

After noting the lack of hatred in their eyes, he noticed instead that the people around him often looked at him with jealousy or envy. Ratio was a genius in many domains, excelling in everything he did. Some people must have considered him perfect (Aventurine did, though he would never admit it).

And although people often acted kindly or nervously, there seemed to be some kind of barrier that prevented Ratio from connecting more deeply with other people, or forging new relationships. People seemed happy to have Ratio's attention, but they didn't want to have him as a friend, no doubt fearing they'd look like fools.

Aventurine quickly realized that Ratio, even if he had never admitted it out loud, was undoubtedly suffering from loneliness. Everyone put him on a kind of pedestal and didn't dare come any closer. This was different from the loneliness Aventurine himself experienced, but it comforted him somewhat to know that in this respect, Aventurine and Ratio were the same.

The list of messages he received every day on Ratio's phone confirmed his assumption.

A ringtone pulled him out of his thoughts and he mechanically pulled out his phone and pressed answer without looking to see who was calling. He realized a second too late that he might have done something stupid, but oh, it was too late now.

“Hello?”

There was a brief silence on the other side of the device, before he heard someone gasp. Not long after, an excited female voice could be heard through the phone, “Veritas! It's been so long since I've heard your voice, I miss you so much!”

Aventurine frowned, and pulled the phone away from his ear as if it had just been burned, looking at the caller ID. Mother, he read.

Oh.

Oh.

Wait a minute, hold on. What? Ratio had parents?

Huh? What did he just ask himself? Of course he had parents. Just because Ratio never mentioned them with him, or never saw them, didn't mean Ratio was an orphan.

"Veritas? Hello? Can you hear me?"

Right. He had to answer. To Ratio's mother.

"I-I'm here... Mother. How are you?" His voice betrayed a certain apprehension he couldn't define. He tried to regain his composure, breathing deeply.

"How are you, my dear? Your voice sounds a bit weak,” Ratio's mother said. He heard movement on the other side of the device.

He scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. Why was it suddenly so incredibly difficult for him to act as Ratio? He felt a knot form in the back of his throat. He tried to swallow, unsuccessfully.  “Ah, uh, it's because I've been working so much lately, haha...”

“So you've changed your mind?” she asked in a vaguely interested tone, as if she were calling only to ask that question.

Aventurine stood up and walked over to the window. He admired the twilight that delicately hugged the building outlines. “What do you mean?” he finally asked, pursing his lips.

“You want to try again to be recognized by Nous, don't you?"

What? Aventurine was really entering unfamiliar territory for the first time since he was Ratio. He knew nothing of Ratio's relationship with the Aeon of Erudition. He'd always foolishly believed that Ratio wasn't a member of the Genius Society because it didn't suit him. But could it be that he'd never been accepted because he hadn't been recognized by Nous?

Ratio hadn't told him about this kind of problem that could have arisen. He really was alone in this situation, and somehow, Aventurine had to do everything in his power not to screw things up and destroy what Ratio had created, which was his life.

Probably the safest thing to do at the moment was to give a false pretence of acceptance. “Oh... Actually, I'm still thinking about it?” His sentence came out more in question than anything else, and he winced. He really wasn't going to convince anyone this time.

“What?” she grumbled, clearly annoyed. Great, he'd managed to piss off Ratio's mom in just a few minutes. "It doesn't make sense. Being under Nous's gaze will benefit you and your research!"

“I know-”

“Besides, it'll allow you to finally leave those idiots at the Intelligentsia Guild!” she exclaimed, more than a little frustrated. "Don't tell me again that even the stupidest have the right to an education and to devote their lives to their research. Education is offered only to the best, and you Ratio are one of the best of your generation. I implore you not to waste your potential on these fools!"

“It's not as simple as that, Mother,” he said after a few seconds. At this point, he was letting his mouth do all the talking. He had no idea what was going on even though the more she spoke, the more he began to paint a somewhat sad picture of a part of Ratio's life.

"You're lucky it's me calling you and not your father. He'd be far less forgiving than I am."

She seemed to pull herself together afterwards as she added in a much softer voice, “At least take the time to think this time okay? It would please your mother greatly to see you succeed in life."

His heart clenched and he gripped the phone tightly in his hands. Aventurine felt the tears welling up inside him, and he closed them with all his might.

In a strangled voice, he said, “Don't worry, Mother. I can still accomplish many things in my life."

He heard a sigh, “Maybe, but don't put things off too long. Don't forget; only Nous can help you achieve great things. Now, I won't bother you any more, get back to work!”

“...Okay.”

"Your father and I love you. I hope we'll see each other soon, dear."

Aventurine sniffed and wiped away a tear running down his cheek. He finally managed to get out in a raspy voice, “...I love you too, Mother. Goodbye."

The line went dead and the apartment he occupied alone fell silent.

Still holding the phone firmly in his hands, he crouched in front of the window, cuddling his knees, looking at his reflection and ignoring the magnificent landscape behind the glass.

His eyes were empty, both of life and emotion. Fresh tears continued to flow and he didn't have the strength to wipe them away again. He was alone after all, so why mask his emotions?

What he wouldn't do to have just one conversation with his mother? With his father? What wouldn't he do to tell them what he'd just told a complete stranger to his parents, whom he loved dearly but who'd known very little about them?

His parents hadn't left him much, but they had given him life, and even if he wasn't always grateful for that gift, they were still his parents. To be comforted by his parents, to be held in their arms and feel safe, to feel their warmth and love radiating from them, to simply be happy to live in a family, Aventurine didn't know these concepts at all.

Ratio was lucky to live with such a family, who seemed to love him more than anything.

That evening, Aventurine stood by the window, cuddling as hard as he could, as if he imagined it was someone comforting him in this lonely moment.

Ratio was once again in a bad mood, as he had been for the last few days. Nothing had happened, but that was precisely why he was in a bad mood. His research was going nowhere, and he couldn't find anything concrete to help them. It was impossible to believe, and yet he was beginning to think they were the only ones in the galaxy with this problem.

The IPC didn't seem to have anything concrete; there was no mention of a change of body, mind, or anything. And on the internet it was no better: all he could find were mushy novels that made him blush and didn't allow him to make any further progress.

He could only hope that Aventurine had more chances on his side and that the university had something on it.

Deep down, he was beginning to realize that they weren't going to find anything real.

He sighed, and next to him Topaz gave him a questioning look.

Ratio had had time to familiarize himself with the young woman and he wasn't sure what to think of her. She seemed kind, helpful and perhaps a little too fond of her job, but he wasn't totally convinced. She was pleasant to everyone but that seemed to stop at Aventurine. Even if she didn't do or say anything atrocious, she didn't speak to him with kindness and care.

Yet he knew that Aventurine loved his friendship with her, and that alone broke his heart. The relationship only went one way, one believing he had formed a lasting friendship, the other perceiving him as a nuisance at best.

Perhaps he was judging the situation too quickly, he thought, trying to reassure himself as best he could. He couldn't yet condemn the young woman when he knew so little about her.

The two of them were waiting for a few members of the IPC to join them. To tell the truth, Ratio had no business being there, but he had asked to accompany Topaz to learn more about Stoneheart's work. He had long believed that Stonehearts were content to sit in their offices planning how to make more money and occasionally going out into the field to deal with a situation that was impossible for the IPC's lackeys to handle. And in part, he was right. But as with everything, it was more complex than it seemed.

So, he asked to join Topaz, who was to debrief some employees on a mission, but also to let them try out a new gadget that had been developed and could help them defend themselves. Ratio was somewhat curious about this new technology, which allowed him to wait alongside Topaz without losing too much patience.

Silence accompanied them, and if Topaz didn't try to break it, neither did Ratio. He was sure that Aventurine would have tried to start a conversation, but Ratio didn't have the strength and courage to face disdain once again.

His fingers drummed against the table, counting the seconds that passed while Topaz was on her phone doing who knows what.

After a while, the door finally opened, and several employees entered, most of them men. They seemed to be in a good mood, if the laughter he heard said anything at all.

“Miss Topaz!” someone called out cheerfully, “We apologize for our tardiness. It's possible we got... lost on the way."

His voice lost strength as he turned his eyes to Ratio, and the latter felt like scowling.

They both stood up, and Ratio let Topaz do the talking while he preferred to observe what was going on.

Topaz ignored the tension in the room, preferring to welcome them and explain their work.

Ratio tried to listen, but was eventually distracted. One of the employees was staring at him in a funny way, and it was starting to scratch his nerves. Even now, couldn't he be at peace for five minutes?

He tried to ignore it at first, but after several minutes, it was almost embarrassing. The others pretended to ignore him, and really, it was much better that way. Topaz didn't seem to notice anything, answering questions in an energetic way and listening attentively to the others talk.

“What?” His patience wearing thin. He glared hard at the man who couldn't take his eyes off him. “Do you have something to say?”

The man seemed to take offense at becoming the center of attention while the others finally fell silent. “'Something to say?' If I had anything to say it certainly wouldn't be to you!"

"Really? Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Oh, don't worry. I know exactly who I'm talking to. Avgin."

Ratio saw, out of the corner of his eye, Topaz open her mouth, presumably to intervene, but at the gesture of his hand, she stopped. Ratio approached the employee and it was then that he bitterly regretted not being as tall as his original body.

Still, he replied in an icy voice, “Be careful what you say. Employee. You could be replaced very quickly, by someone... let's say, someone more competent."

The man laughed, clearly unimpressed. He spat, “You may be a Stoneheart, but you're still an Avgin. The IPC won't lift a finger to fire me."

The audacity of this man. He was really something. Ratio couldn't believe his ears. How could someone be so angry with Aventurine when the latter didn't even know him?

He finally frowned, and although his eyes seemed to betray his anger, the employee didn't seem fazed. "Tell me, if you think you're so clever, what did I do to you to make you behave like that? Have I ever insulted you or bullied you? Did I create rumors behind your back? Tell me!"

“Aventurine...”

Topaz's voice fell on deaf ears.

Ratio was so frustrated, not just with this employee whose first name he didn't even know. He was frustrated for everything that had happened in the last few days, for the discrimination that Aventurine had probably been enduring for a long time, and of which Ratio had never been aware. He was frustrated at not being able to defend himself as he could as Veritas Ratio. He was frustrated that nobody took Aventurine seriously.

His patience had waned dangerously in recent days, and this was the last straw.

“ You're here,” the employee snarled, “you're showing your face, thinking you're superior to us when you're a nobody.”

"Only a fool would think like that. Have you no shame in what you say?!"

"I'm not the only one who thinks that. I'm just the only one with the balls to say it in front of you."

Ratio scoffed, in no way amused by the situation, “That's really outrageous.To think that it's people like you who are employed within the IPC, it's really pitiful to see.”

“You-!”

“Aventurine, please stop!”

Topaz put a hand on his arm, probably to calm him down or to stop him getting any closer, but this only made things worse. Ratio stepped back abruptly, as if startled. His back pressed hard against the wall behind him, sending a picture frame crashing to the floor.

Even though his body was as taut as a bow ready to shoot an arrow, this allowed him to regain his senses and understand what had just happened.

Oh. 

What an idiotic fool he was.

Topaz looked at him with frustration in her eyes, the employees were all petrified by what had just happened, while the man who had insulted him also seemed suprised by what he had just said and done.

But nobody was more shocked than Ratio.

What had gotten into him? He never, ever let himself be guided by emotions. It was both stupid and dangerous. He'd acted without thinking, and Aventurine would surely pay the price.

A wave of shame washed over him, and preferring to avoid the judgment of others, he stomped out of the room.

In the corridor, he tried to calm down, taking several deep breaths, letting the tension drop. He'd really screwed up this time, hadn't he? Aventurine would never have acted like that, never would he have gotten so worked up. If nobody suspected what was going on before, they surely would now.

He heard the door open behind him, but he didn't need to turn to see who it was.

"What's gotten into you, Aventurine? Seriously, I've never seen you like this."

Ratio grimaced. He already knew, there was no point in repeating it. He was sure Aventurine would be disappointed by his behavior, and his heart clenched at the thought.

“I...”

He turned to face her, but was unable to meet her gaze. His shoulders hunched, suddenly unable to sustain the stress and fatigue of the last few days.

“What's been going through your head?” resumed Topaz, wanting to put her hand on his shoulder but at the last moment she thought better of it. No doubt it was for the best. Ratio didn't know how his body would react again if she tried to touch him. "You can't talk to employees like that. Diamond will find out eventually, and nothing good will come of it. You know that."

Stunned, he finally raised his eyes sharply, watching her as if he were seeing her for the first time.

“What?” he asked almost completely indignantly.

She frowned slightly, huffing, “What do you mean?”

"Are you serious? Did you hear what he was saying about Av- about me? Don't you think I had a right to defend myself?"

She shifted uncomfortably. It was her turn to struggle to meet his gaze, “Maybe, but... That's nothing new, is it? I thought you were used to it."

"Used to? Used to?” he repeated incredulously. He really couldn't believe his ears. Totally bewildered, he took a few steps back. Topaz opened her mouth to add something, but Ratio didn't give her the chance. If she was going to disrespect him, there was no point in her talking any further. "Do you hear yourself? Do you think hearing every day that I'm the worst person in the world is just part of my life? Part of my routine? Do you think I asked for this kind of treatment?!"

He ran a hand through his hair. What a horrible day. No, not the day. This experience had been an ordeal from the start. He was being put down every second, no one believing in his true worth.

How anyone could live this nightmare every day, he didn't know.

"Do you know what it's called what I go through every day? Do you? It's racism! And you think I can get used to racist remarks?!"

He burst out laughing, his emotions running wild.

Topaz tried to defend herself, waving her hands frantically in front of her, “What? No, no, I didn't-”

"Stop it. I don't want to hear another word out of you."

He turned quickly on his heels, afraid he'd get more worked up and end up blurting out something he shouldn't. Ratio had done enough foolishness for one day, he didn't want to add to it.

He didn't dare imagine Aventurine's reaction when he learned what had happened.

Ratio clenched his fists, quickening his pace.

He may have been a genius, but that seemed to stop at education.

Disappointment, grief, regret, anger, disgust - these were the emotions that raged in his heart as he walked away from Topaz, who continued to call out to him in vain.

Chapter Text

"Your students are adorable! They're all afraid of you, but they are still trying to go out of their way to receive your approval."

"I know."

"There's one though... how shall I put it? He's quite particular. He's the one who stands by the window at the back of the room. Do you know who I mean?"

"...Yes."

"Well, I've seen him looking at me rather strangely before, as if he's up to something. I'm not sure what, though. I'll have to investigate further, I think."

Aventurine waited a few seconds, before sighing loudly. Ratio was definitely not listening to him today. Even through a screen, Aventurine could see how much Ratio was frowning, a sign that something was bothering him. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what was going on inside the genius' head, and he had no desire to find out.

I need to distract him, he thought wistfully. He took his phone in his other hand and settled more comfortably on the sofa.

"Hey, I didn't tell you," he began. Ratio's eyes turned to him, a sign that he was listening. Good. "This week, I got a call from your parents! Hah! That was quite a surprise. You continue to surprise me every day."

A pause.

What he'd just said seemed to seep into Ratio's mind, since a second later, he glowered at him. " What did you just say?"

"I said that... your mom called me?" he said, suddenly filled with uncertainty. "She's amazing and super nice. How come you never told me about them? I'd love to meet them in person sometime!"

He kept to himself, however, the feelings of jealousy and envy that this call had brought. To have such well-meaning parents present in his life must have been something priceless for Ratio. It had been a long time since Aventurine had allowed himself to dream that his family was still alive, present in his life and not just in his memories. Alas, since that call, his dreams had been rekindled, making it even harder for him to fall asleep.

Ratio scowled. "Trust me, you don't want to do something like that."

"Huh? Why not? She was glad I picked up even though she seemed worried -"

"Gambler. Enough of this discussion. I need to talk to you about something."

Aventurine paused. A sort of apprehension settled in his stomach. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? He hadn't done anything wrong, or so he hoped.

Would this be the moment for Ratio to confess that he couldn't stand not being in his body and having to pretend to be an Avgin? Did it repulse him?

Pursing his lips, he finally nodded. "I'm listening."

Ratio watched him for a few moments, obviously not seeming to know how to bring up the subject he wished to discuss. This did nothing to reassure Aventurine.

"Ah, er... It seems I've made a mistake," Ratio admitted, looking at something behind Aventurine's shoulder, as if doing everything to avoid meeting his gaze.

"You? Make a mistake?" Aventurine couldn't help laughing nervously. Surely, the connection was unstable and he'd heard wrong.

Irritation appeared on Ratio's face for a brief second before it disappeared just as quickly. Aventurine was almost impressed. "Don't talk about things you don't know. Everyone makes mistakes, even me." He took a deep breath as if to motivate himself before adding, "It's possible I got upset with an IPC employee. I... He said something totally out of line about you, and... And let's just say I forgot that I was supposed to be you, and not create extra problems for you."

Aventurine arched an eyebrow, bemused. Ratio, defending him? Not that this was surprising (Ratio was an upright and just man; he defended injustices when he encountered them), but to take Aventurine's side? He never hid the disdain he had for him, and often liked to express his disgust at his way of life.

When the silence got a little too heavy, Aventurine said, "Okay?" What was he supposed to say to that? Ratio had defended his name and that was that.

Ratio opened his mouth several times, but no sound came out. Incredulous, he approached the phone as if Aventurine couldn't see him before. Violet and blue eyes looked at him intensely.

"What?" asked Aventurine slightly defensively.

"Don't you have anything to say? Don't you think what I've done is wrong? Are you not aware of the consequences this will have for you? I almost physically assaulted an employee!" He ran a hand through his blond hair, obviously trying to keep calm. He added, mumbling to himself, but Aventurine heard all the same. "That's all he would have deserved anyway."

"Why are you getting angry all of a sudden?" he asked.

"Let's be honest here, gambler. This isn't the reaction I was expecting. I may have ruined your IPC career and you're not reacting? Topaz said it herself that Diamond will find out eventually, and you'll be punished! As a result of my actions."

"Ruin my career?" He burst out laughing at the absurdity of this situation. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes, but he ignored them, preferring to look sharply at Ratio. "You said you wanted to be honest. So sure, Ratio, let's be honest. You've spent several weeks in my body, surely you must have realized several things right? Deep down, you know very well that this little incident won't have any impact on me. I belong to the IPC and as long as I continue to earn enough for them, I can pretty much do whatever I want! And if that means putting IPC employees in their place, why not? Of course, I personally prefer to ignore these idiots, because what good will getting angry do in the end? Nothing! And if you don't understand this, trust me, you'll learn it soon enough."

Ratio looked at him as if he couldn't believe his ears.

Aventurine stood up, deciding to make himself a cup of coffee. How glad he was that this conversation was taking place over the phone and not in person. The presence of Ratio at his side would have made him uncomfortable, put him on the defensive, and he knew he'd have found an excuse and left as quickly as possible to escape this conversation.

He started the coffee machine, and the sound of the machine crushing the coffee beans was the only sound to break the suddenly tense silence. Ratio was still on the other side of the phone, but he seemed to let Aventurine brew his coffee in silence, for which he was grateful. He needed to put his thoughts in their place. He placed his phone on the counter. No protest was heard.

When his cup was filled with the steaming decoction, he took a sip. His nerves calmed almost instantly and he took deep breaths. He enjoyed a few moments of calm, simply enjoying his coffee, before a few guilty thoughts popped into his head, telling him that Ratio probably had better things to do than wait there, until he had calmed down enough to resume the conversation.

Aventurine put his cup down on the table beside him, and went to pick up his phone. Ratio was still on the other end of the line, seemingly studying a document. When he saw Aventurine reappear, he dropped his document and didn't beat around the bush, saying, his voice totally devoid of judgment.

"I take note of your opinion on this subject. However, I maintain my own position on the matter. You don't deserve what's happening to you at work, and you shouldn't get used to ignoring this kind of behavior. As for me, I'm going to be angry at my own behavior on your behalf since you're obviously incapable of taking offense at the way I've acted. And please understand that I'm angry about the consequences of my actions, not because I defended you. In any other circumstances I would have done the same."

Aventurine scoffed, "Sure." If it would ease Ratio's conscience, he had nothing to say.

Ratio sighed, obviously disappointed by his attitude.

"Tell me," Ratio resumed finally changing the subject, "is tomorrow your first class? Tell me how you're feeling."

As the conversation lightened, Aventurine was finally able to relax and talk about something that excited him as much as it frightened him. He was eager to exchange ideas with the students and talk about theoretical subjects while they listened attentively.

What probably frightened him most, however, was if he was unable to answer a question, or responded with the wrong answer. Aventurine had diligently learned everything Ratio had given him to read, had retained everything he had told him, but there was always the risk that he might not know something.

As Aventurine told Ratio what he was going to talk about tomorrow with the students, he put a hand behind his back, mentally reciting that everything would go well and that, with the luck he had, he would become a teacher just as good as Ratio.

It was a gamble. He intended to win.

Aventurine watched apprehensively as the students chatted and sat down at their tables. Some looked at him curiously, as if wondering what he had prepared for them today.

Crossing his arms, he met each one's gaze, scowling.

Ah, he was sure he was imitating Ratio perfectly.

Some immediately looked away, while others continued to whisper in their friend's ear.

He counted the seconds until the bell rang and he could begin his lesson. Stress finally got the better of him and he began to play with a piece of chalk. Ratio had reassured him last night that he knew the subject perfectly and that he shouldn't worry. Ratio had told him, however, that he could ignore the students' questions if he felt really uncomfortable. It wasn't the best solution, but if he really wasn't confident with the subject and with the students, that's what he'd probably do.

Aventurine didn't know why, but he didn't want to disappoint Ratio, especially after what had happened last night. He didn't want to make a mistake, because this time, unlike Aventurine, there could be serious consequences for Ratio. Ratio was a prominent figure in research and study, and his every action was watched by other geniuses. If he made a mistake, his reputation would take a hit.

He thought back to what Ratio had told him last night. Aventurine's reputation was already horrible within the IPC, so adding now verbal aggression to the long list of crimes he'd apparently committed, would have few consequences.

The bell finally rang, and Aventurine startled, barely catching the chalk in his hands.

He'd tried to make a piece of chalk appear, but that had been unsuccessful (it was easier for him to make a shield appear) and Aventurine had preferred to buy chalk on the Internet. It would be simpler for him, and safer too. At least he wouldn't risk making a mistake.

He cleared his throat, and all heads turned towards him. Woah, that's a lot of students today, isn't it?

Trying to keep his voice as monotone as possible, he announced, "Hello everyone. Today we'll be talking about quantum energy and how it differs from classical physics."

Some began typing furiously on their tablets, while others sighed as they switched on their voice recorders.

Come on, Aventurine, you can do it, he tried to encourage himself as best he could as he began to talk about what he'd learned over the last few days.

And although the students seemed attentive and didn't look at him with suspicion, he had the feeling that negotiating the future of a planet with a dictator was a lot easier than giving a lecture. Strange.

Anyway, now was not the time to think about such things.

The beginning of the lesson went off without a hitch, and to that end Aventurine gave himself an imaginary tap on the shoulder. His memory did not fail him, and he was able to jot down several things on the blackboard as he explained the principles of quantum energy.

Soon, he ended up losing himself in the moment, momentarily forgetting that he had to act as a Ratio, but in his defense he didn't do anything extremely bizarre that the true Ratio would never do.

The students were very attentive, which surprised him a little. He'd watched enough movies to know that most students preferred to play on their phones, or distract themselves, rather than listen to what was going on. But then, they were at the University of Veritas Prime... Not everyone could get in, even if the university claimed otherwise.

In the back of his mind, Aventurine wondered what kind of student he would have been if he'd had the chance to go to school. Would he have been the talkative, extroverted type who didn't hesitate to speak up to save the more timid from being questioned? Or would he have been a withdrawn person where only his body was present while his mind daydreamed?

Surely, the first choice.

Ah. And he'd probably be one of the students Ratio would have liked to have. Although, if he got into mischief, maybe not.

He took a sip of water, trying to refresh his speech-worn throat, and resumed with a confidence he wouldn't have thought he possessed for this kind of situation. "Quantum energy is a fundamental property of particles on the microscopic scale. It describes how these particles can absorb or emit quantas of energy, in other words, discrete packets." He made a diagram (which he found successful) on the board with his chalk, trying to draw what he was explaining. "As for the difference with classical physics, where energy can vary continuously, in quantum mechanics, energy is quantized. This means that it can only take on certain specific values."

He admired his work for a few seconds, before turning back to the students. When he noticed a hand raised, an anxiety ran through his veins that he managed to control without difficulty. He was used to it. With a wave of his hand, he beckoned the student to ask his question.

"Sir. I'd like to go back to something you said earlier, if I may."

Huh. Why did he feel something was wrong with this kid? Oddly enough, it was the same student Aventurine had mentioned last night, the one by the window.

Relax, he corrected himself mentally. He was just a kid, no need to be on guard at every turn. He probably had a question to ask, and nothing more.

And even though Aventurine was trying to reassure himself, part of him was still wary.

He narrowed his eyes, "Go ahead."

As for the student, he seemed perfectly sure of himself, clearly unimpressed to find himself under Ratio's gaze. Interesting. After a brief glance at his notes, he exclaimed, "You spoke earlier about the principles of particles. I'd like to make sure I understood you correctly. Did you say that quantum energy simply means that particles have an infinite amount of energy?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I'd like to know at what point you understood this? In no way did I say that, and simply asking that question shows that you've understood nothing of what I've been trying to explain since earlier."

Oh, shit. Was he being too mean? Aventurine didn't doubt for a second that Ratio would be able to say that, yet several students whispered in astonishment as if he'd done something unusual.

He wanted to rub his sweaty hands against his pants, and it was then that he realized his mistake. Ratio, would have immediately thrown a piece of chalk at the student before answering him. That's what he systematically did when a student hadn't understood things.

So yes, now he'd made an exception to that principle, and the students probably thought he had a preference for certain students. Damn.

He had to make up for it. 

The student frowned, appearing to be annoyed. "Then please explain what I didn't understand."

Aventurine cleared his throat. "The only thing that needs to get into your brain is that quantum energy doesn't mean an infinite amount of energy. In quantum mechanics, energy is quantized, which means it can only take on specific, discrete values. As I can see that you still don't understand, let me give you an example that may be of use to you all. Electrons in an atom can only occupy certain energy levels, and to move from one level to another, they must absorb or emit a precise quantum of energy. This concept of quantifying energy is the opposite of the idea of infinite energy."

The students typed out everything he'd just explained, again giving way to silence. Aventurine let out a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived.

The kid asked a new question, "So what you mean is that electrons can simply jump between energy levels whenever they want, right?"

He felt a headache coming on. Did what he was saying make so little sense that the student couldn't understand what he was explaining? Really, he understood why Ratio would get so worked up over this kind of question.

Now, wait a minute. This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for to make up for his earlier mistake!

With a frown, he played with the chalk in his hand. He didn't give himself time to think, before throwing the chalk with all his might at the student, who seemed to realize what was happening. He could have moved, but for some reason the kid didn't.

Time seemed to slow down for a millisecond, with Aventurine watching apprehensively as the chalk approached the student's forehead. Woah, his aim had been perfect. He didn't know whether to congratulate himself or curse himself.

The impact was instantaneous. The chalk shattered into a thousand pieces, and the student quickly clamped his hands to his forehead, a grimace of pain quickly appearing on his face.

"Ow!" cried the student, obviously in pain.

This made him go cold in an instant. Had he been so strong that the student was hurt? He looked down at Ratio's muscular arms and flexed his hands, seeing the muscles tense. Ratio possessed such strength? No wonder he was fighting with chalk. But still, they were just chalk!

He swallowed his saliva with difficulty, before raising his gaze to the student. The latter was now bent over the table, rubbing his forehead to try and ease the pain. The other students were either staring at the kid or at him, but none of them dared to speak.

Aventurine clenched his fists as hard as he could, his nails digging into the flesh. The pain helped him to calm down and think. He moved forward slowly, as if afraid of hurting someone.

Several eyes turned to him.

"... I apologize," he finally said, his arms trembling under his strength. "It seems I overestimated my strength. How do you feel?"

The young man raised his head, meeting his gaze, filled with anger. He growled violently, "Don't come any closer! You're going to hurt me with your chalk again! I'm bleeding!"

Aventurine couldn't see his own face, but it was certain that he became as pale as a sheet. Had he hurt a student? Wasn't that the mistake he wished at all costs to avoid creating trouble for Ratio?

"I..."

In front of him, the kid stood up, trying to put his things in his bag while a trembling hand continued to press against his forehead. He looked livid. "Really, I'm not surprised a student ended up getting hurt. With your constant chalk-throwing, it was only a matter of time! But believe me, you may be the most deserving professor at this university, but you're not getting off that easy! I'll press charges!"

With a violent gesture, he slung his bag over his back and left in a hurry.

Aventurine froze.

What.

 Had.

 He.

Done.

The student's words took a few seconds to sink into his mind, but when they did, he felt as if the ground wasn't quite steady at his feet.

He leaned back on the table in front of him, the sounds of the students fading away leaving only him and his thoughts.

He... He was having trouble breathing, wasn't he? Aventurine scratched his neck as if to relieve it of an invisible cord, but it did nothing. His breathing became shaky as the same words echoed in his mind.

I'll press charges!

How... how would Ratio react? He hadn't wanted to disappoint him, and now he had! He tried to take a breath of air, but only suffocated himself, no air wanting to come in.

Far away, he vaguely heard a noise, and he had the good sense to recognize where he was. He had to be alone. No one could see him in this state.

"Class is dismissed. Leave," he croaked as best he could. His eyes blurred and his hands contorted in front of him against his will.

Ratio... He... How would he want to stay with him after what he'd just done?

Press charges? That would be the end of Ratio.

Ratio wouldn't want to talk to him anymore.

The one thing he valued in his life would be gone.

His heartbeat drummed in his ears, making it impossible for him to know if the students had left the classroom.

Aventurine, think for a moment, he thought with all his might, but his inner voice was drowned out by the deafening sound of his distraught heart.

His wobbly legs couldn't take it anymore, and he slumped in front of the table, running his hands through his purple hair.

Press charges? That would be the end of what Ratio had created. He couldn't.... He wouldn't be able to be a teacher and teach young people. And wasn't that one of Ratio's prides? To be able to cure the world of their idiocy?

As a few gulps of air managed to enter his lungs, and he pulled at his hair with all his might, he eventually calmed down. The sun through the window continued its long journey, but Aventurine was too lost in thought to pay attention.

It was only the pain of pulling his hair that brought him back to reality. His muscles were rigid and he had trouble to move. But after a few moments of hesitation, he moved his head. A sharp pain shot through him.

He grunted in discomfort before realizing what had just happened. This was horrible. A feeling of shame overcame him, and he tried to get to his feet as quickly as possible. For a few seconds, the room whirled around before his eyes, but it eventually stabilized.

He had to find a solution, and quickly. Ratio had to keep his career and not suspect for a moment that it had been endangered by Aventurine and his strength. He tried to take a deep breath, calming the pounding of his heart, still under the effect of his panic.

It was time to sort out his thoughts.

The student would press charges. But so what? What could he do to prevent this from happening?

Aventurine may have been in Ratio's body, but he was still Aventurine. He had connections, money, power. Surely he could do something.

He eventually sat down in one of the chairs, which was now vacant since apparently the students had listened, and had all left. Good. It was so embarrassing to panic, so in front of several people it was even worse. After stretching his legs as best he could, he was sure there'd be some soreness tomorrow.

Maybe there was nothing Ratio could do to change the situation he'd just created.

But Aventurine was a resourceful person.

After a while, an idea began to form in his mind. It wasn't the best solution, and he wouldn't enjoy doing it, but he managed to convince himself that it was necessary.

Necessary if he didn't want to lose the friendship he had with Ratio, and the special bond he had developed with him. He didn't dare imagine for a second having a life without Ratio, and he couldn't risk taking the gamble. His luck had already run out today.

He couldn't do anything about the witnesses, but at least they wouldn't press charges.

For his plan to be successful, the first thing to do was to learn this student's address and e-mail.

If his plan worked, Ratio would never know what had happened and everything would be fine.

"David,

Not long ago, you were attending Doctor Veritas Ratio's classes. I know what happened. If you don't press charges, you'll receive 300,000 credits in your bank account. Do not tell anyone. Enclosed you'll find 100,000 credits to prove my good faith.

Think carefully about your next move, and don't do anything stupid. I know where you live. The smell of bread from the bakery The good bread must surely enter your window. If I were you, I'd close it tightly to prevent anything from coming in."

Chapter Text

At last, an evening all to himself, where he could relax and be away from other people's eyes. Now that he could take a break, Ratio made himself a cup of tea, which he managed to discover from one of Aventurine's cupboards. After a quick glance, he noticed that the tea hadn't gone out of date. Surprising, because when he had searched the kitchen cupboards, most of the food was no longer fit for consumption.

He put the water on to boil, and took the opportunity to look around.

Since the beginning of this whole affair, Ratio had been hard pressed to find any free time. His schedule was full, and by the time he'd finally finished for the day, his body was exhausted and he could only collapse on the bed and fall asleep.

Today was somewhat different. With what had happened recently, he had received an e-mail from Jade informing him that he could take the evening off to, as she so aptly put it, 'get some well-deserved rest and regain his wits'. So, these were the consequences for verbally abusing an employee. As Aventurine had pointed out, no consequences were forthcoming. This reassured him; at least Aventurine wouldn't be punished for something he hadn't done, but all the same it showed that the IPC couldn't care less about the well-being of its employees, Stonehearts or not.

So, here he was, finally able to admire the interior of Aventurine's apartment. It wasn't as well decorated as his own, and it wasn't quite to his taste, but it was still not bad.

The décor was richly decorated with gold and taupe objects. It was a peculiar and daring choice, but somehow it suited the gambler perfectly. More surprising was the fact that several plants had found their home near the windows. Ratio had checked; they were perfectly tended.  He couldn't help but think grimly, wondering how Aventurine managed to take care of any plants when he couldn't take care of himself. Really, sometimes he didn't make any sense at all.

All in all, it was an apartment that offered many qualities and was well maintained.

The only black spot that Ratio couldn't ignore was the bathroom. How Aventurine could only take showers and never relax after a long day in a nice hot bath, Ratio didn't know.

And now that he had a free evening, he'd take advantage of it to go to his place and relax amidst smoke and soap bubbles. This would also give him the opportunity to see Aventurine again, who had returned from Veritas Prime a few hours earlier. Aventurine hadn't said much about how his classes had gone, and Ratio admitted deep down that he was rather curious.

He snapped out of his thoughts to finish preparing his tea, now that the water had had time to heat up. After filling his cup, he had to clear the table of paperwork before he could sit down and drink his beverage.

His eyes rested on the piles of papers lying everywhere, not just on the table but throughout the apartment in general. It was a pity; he was sure the apartment would be much more welcoming if everything was tidied up where it belonged. But Aventurine had told him not to put his things away, and Ratio didn't want to break any of the rules. He only touched his things when he had to clean up, but he tried to put everything back the way it was before.

Ratio quickly drank his tea. He had some things to do before he could leave to relax, like starting to clean the apartment, and especially the bedroom. He hadn't had much opportunity to do this, and even though he'd swapped bodies, cleaning was still necessary.

He began by opening the bedroom window to let in the fresh evening air, then set about removing the dust from the furniture. Ratio had no problem spending several hours cleaning; it helped him to be in his own thoughts, to think about the research he was working on, but above all it calmed him down. To have something to do that was satisfying was a wonderful feeling.

When the furniture was dusted and shining, Ratio frowned at the sight of the room. Numerous items of clothing littered the room, all hastily abandoned by their owner. They were literally everywhere, except on the bed, and for that alone, Ratio was sure it was a feat on the part of the gambler.

Doing the best he could, he continued to clean the room.

He was just about to clean the floor when something caught his eye on the desk chair. It wasn't anything shiny that had caught his eye, but quite the opposite. Most of Aventurine's possessions were well-kept, clean and extravagant. However, as he approached, he saw that this was not the case with this t-shirt, which looked as if it had suffered several disasters.

On the fingers, the fabric was rough, and dark-colored stains decorated the T-shirt, which appeared to be green in color but had faded over time.

What was something like that doing in Aventurine's apartment?

He shrugged. Perhaps it was an object of value to the blond, so he set it aside on the bed. Surely, he'd have time to clean it.

Ratio continued to clean the room without a hitch, and by the time he'd finished, he was pretty much satisfied with himself. The rest of the apartment, he would clean later when he had more time. After putting mops and brooms away, he looked at the time on his phone. Ah, just in time to make his way home, and take a nice bath to wash away the dust sticking to his body.

He sent a message to Aventurine informing him that he would arrive in a few minutes, and his phone vibrated a few moments later, the gambler sending him a sticker with a thumbs-up.

After leaving the appartment, he walked quickly through the streets of Pier point, almost impatient to be able to dive into the water and see his rubber ducks again (yes, he missed them!).

That was all he could think about for most of the way, and when he got to his house, he knocked a little too loudly, but Aventurine opened the door immediately.

Aventurine's face lit up with a gentle smile, "Ah! I see someone's looking forward to his bath."

He let him in, and Ratio didn't hesitate as he felt his ears redden. He scoffed, "Haven't you grasped the benefits of taking a bath when you take one regularly now?" He went off to his room to get his things, paying no attention to the fact that Aventurine was following him.

"Not really," he heard behind him, "for me it's boring to sit around doing nothing for a long time. My time could be put to better use, but alas, I must obey the doctor's rules~"

In a somber tone, Ratio exclaimed, "I see someone's in a good mood today." Once he'd found some clean clothes to put on, he finally headed for the bathroom. Aventurine no longer followed him, but he heard his reply all the same.

"Why shouldn't I be? I'm glad to see you."

With that, Ratio slammed the door shut, this time feeling his whole head turn red with embarrassment. Well, Aventurine was curiously honest today. Ratio wasn't used to it.

He shook his head; he had more important things to do than think about Aventurine's actions. He began running water and quickly removed his clothes. He didn't hesitate about the amount of oil he poured into the water. An exotic fragrance tickled his nostrils, making him sigh with contentment.

When everything was ready, he was finally able to plunge into the water and relax. He closed his eyes in satisfaction, feeling his muscles relax at last, his body becoming as soft and light as cotton.

He hadn't felt this sensation in a long time and had almost forgotten about it. Aventurine's body was permanently tense and rigid, forming thick knots where only an effective massage could relieve them. Aventurine really should learn to take care of himself, it would be so beneficial for him.

Ratio hadn't brought any books, nor a glass of wine to accompany his bath, but keeping his eyes closed and simply letting his body rest did him some good too.

He didn't know how long he stood there, enjoying the moment, but after a while, he heard Aventurine knocking on the door. "Hey doc, did you drown or something? Should I start freaking out or not?"

Sighing, he opened his eyes, "Don't be stupid. I'll be right there."

Aventurine hummed, and Ratio waited until he heard footsteps moving away from the bathroom before getting out of the bath and quickly getting ready.

As he emerged from the bathroom, a pleasant smell of cooked tomatoes reached his nostrils, and he arched an eyebrow.  Approaching the kitchen, he was surprised to discover that Aventurine was seated at the table, surely waiting for him, while a steaming dish lay before him, along with two plates.

Hearing him arrive, Aventurine lifted his head from the phone and his face lit up, "Ah! Finally. I thought I was going to fall asleep because you were so long. Tell me, what's taking you so long in the bathroom?"

Seeing the bright look on Aventurine's face, Ratio narrowed his eyes, "I'm just enjoying the moment. You know, you should do that once in a while."

Aventurine chuckled, waving his hands in front of him, "Pfff, I have other things to do, you know?"

Ratio looked at him sternly, crossing his arms, "You shouldn't take your body's well-being so lightly. It needs to rest. As I've said before, but apparently I have to say it again for it to ever sink into your thick head, our body is our sanctuary. Not taking care of it has direct consequences on everyday life, and not just physically. I'm also talking about-"

"Okay, okay, I get it! No need to lecture me today," Aventurine chuckled lightly, "but if you claim to take such good care of your body, why don't you come and sit down and have dinner with me?  I thought it would be nice if we could eat together and relax a bit. I have to admit, the last few weeks have been pretty stressful."

He had the vague impression that Aventurine was making fun of him, but with a sigh, he preferred to let it go and came to sit beside Aventurine. The latter beamed like a child receiving candy, obviously pleased that Ratio was listening to him for once.

"Would you like some wine? I ordered lasagna for tonight."

"Sure," nodded Ratio, handing him his glass. Aventurine poured perhaps a little too much wine, but Ratio preferred not to say anything.

The meal took place in a calm atmosphere, which Ratio particularly appreciated. They exchanged stories that amused them (Aventurine shared several, Ratio merely listened), and enjoyed each other's presence. It was pleasant, and allowed him to feel at ease.

When they had finished, and the table was cleared, leaving only the glasses of wine that Aventurine still sipped from time to time, a comfortable silence settled between them.

With his belly full, the smell of the bubble bath still wafting through the air thanks to his previous bath, almost made Ratio doze, but he pulled himself together when Aventurine finally exclaimed softly after another sip of wine.

"You know," he said, staring at a point on the table, "I don't really want to go back into my body. It's so much fun imitating you and imagining what you'd do in certain situations." Ratio was about to scoff when Aventurine continued, "The one thing I absolutely don't miss is the gaze of others. Being able to move without the weight of other people's gazes is really liberating. I don't know how I'm going to face that again, when the situation's settled."

Ratio glanced at him. Aventurine's cheeks were flushed, and whether it was from the wine or his confession, Ratio wasn't entirely sure. He sighed, " I understand. I can't say that being judged constantly, amuses me too, as... I've already been able to prove. Have you... ever talked to anyone about the situation?"

Aventurine let out a bitter laugh, "And who would agree to listen to me and actually take action? Since I started working for the IPC, I've learned to ignore everyone, but now I'm used to something better. Something normal. It feels strange to be treated like a human being with feelings and rights. It makes me feel like I have a right to live. But I don't know if that's a good thing... I don't know if I could manage to go back to the way I was before and just ignore everyone."

Despite Aventurine's honest admission of his fears (which in itself was rare enough), Ratio couldn't stop his own feelings, and regardless of having heard Aventurine, part of him was still eager to get back to the way he was, back into his body.

"Well, if there's a silver lining to this situation," he began, wanting to reassure Aventurine as best he could, "it's that I've endured what you've had to endure. You're not alone, and maybe the two of us can do something to change things."

Aventurine hummed, visibly unconvinced. Yet Ratio was confident that what they had already experienced in each other's bodies was not necessarily a bad thing. They had been able to learn things about each other, discover facets of each other that they didn't know about, and without this situation, he was certain that the two of them would never have learned so much. It helped them understand each other better. So, yes, Ratio was sure he could do something for Aventurine. He was a member of the Council of Mundanites, so surely the Council or the Guild in general could put pressure on the IPC to at least treat their employees better, whether they were high-ranking or not.

As Aventurine twirled his wine in the glass, turning it in his hands, a thought popped into Ratio's mind. With all that had been going on lately, he hadn't been able to inquire further about the progress of the classes.

"You didn't tell me, gambler, how your classes went. You've given several classes now, so I daresay everything went well, right?"

Aventurine froze for a moment in surprise, a few drops of wine splashing onto the table. He glanced briefly at Ratio before grabbing a napkin and wiping up the mess.

"Hahaha, you know me, of course everything is going well. I've got nothing to report, nope!" He flashed him one of his smiles that Ratio knew was fake. Oddly enough, it was much easier to guess the man's emotions when he wasn't in his body, as if now he had a harder time masking his emotions.

Ratio arched a suspicious eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's not supposed to mean anything. Nothing happened, what else do you want me to say? The students are all very attentive, which surprised me at first, but I guess they're all enchanted by your beauty. You're lucky to have such good students."

He grimaced, making no secret of his disdain for his supposedly young students. If they listened to him, it was simply because they were afraid of receiving a piece of chalk in the face.

He preferred to ignore the rest of the sentence. Aventurine complimented people as often as he breathed, and he had no idea whether his remarks were what he really thought or not. And why, for that matter, was he worried about the authenticity of the gambler's remarks? This was new, and he'd have to spend a few moments thinking more about it...

"As long as you're comfortable in what you're doing, everything should be fine," he contented himself with saying, trying to return to the topic of conversation.

Without answering, Aventurine stood up and reached for Ratio's glass, silently asking him if he could take it and finish clearing the table. He nodded. Ratio wasn't a heavy drinker. He preferred to savor the taste of wine, rather than drink a lot of it.

He shrugged and picked up his glass, before placing them in the sink with the plates. Ratio watched him, wondering absent-mindedly how the two had become so domestic that there was no awkwardness between them. It seemed so natural and normal.

When Aventurine turned to return to Ratio's side, a twinkle in the violet hair caught Ratio's eye.

Ah.

He stood up and approached Aventurine, paying no attention to the fact that he was entering the gambler's personal space. The latter stopped walking, stunned, and looked at him with such confusion that it reminded Ratio of a kitten wondering why their tails were always following them.

Ratio chuckled lightly at the sight, reaching into Aventurine's hair and putting back the laurel brooch that had been about to fall off.  When everything was back in place, he met Aventurine's curious gaze. The crimson-gold eyes sparkled with life and emotion, and Ratio wondered for a moment if his own eyes, when he was in his body, had ever glowed in such a way.

Satisfied with his work, he took several somewhat reluctant steps backwards. Aventurine took a deep breath as Ratio murmured, "This brooch belonged to my grandmother. I'm glad you're taking such good care of it."

Aventurine absentmindedly touched the golden brooch, turning his gaze to him. "Oh. I had no idea."

"How could you have known if I never told you?"

"Good point," Aventurine quipped and a teasing smile played on his lips, "But how come you never tell me about your family? Until recently I didn't even know you had parents!"

"That's because they're not worth mentioning," scoffed Ratio. They both sat down again at the table and Ratio put his hands in front of him, examining them without really thinking. "My relationship with my parents has deteriorated somewhat over the years, and it never occurred to me to share these kinds of problems."

"What happened?" inquired Aventurine, referring to his deteriorating relationship with his parents. He put an elbow on the table and rested his chin in the palm of his hand, showing that he was ready to listen to what Ratio had to say.

Ratio had to think to form his sentence correctly. It wasn't that he didn't know what to say, it was rather how to approach the problem. He'd never admitted his problems with anyone, believing it was none of their business. But with Aventurine it was somehow different.

"From an early age," Ratio began wearily, "I've been considered a genius. My parents both devoted their lives to research and to Nous. Throughout my childhood, they encouraged me to start studying at an early age, and never stopped preaching the benefits of Nous. I was always influenced by them and without realizing it they guided me under the shadow of Erudition." He paused for a moment, wetting his lips, before resuming. Aventurine couldn't take his eyes off him.

"When I was a teenager I was totally convinced that I had to be recognized by Nous if I wanted to be a worthy researcher and if I wanted to receive my parents' affection. I had done everything I could to achieve these goals, and my parents were delighted that I was trying so hard. Only, one day... One day, I realized what it really meant to be recognized by the Aeon of Erudition. And when I realized that I would have to lose my humanity, lose what makes me human, I've decided to give up the Path of Erudition.

"When my parents realized I'd given up on following the same path as them, let's just say they didn't really appreciate it. As they were disappointed in their own son, they didn't really care for me anymore. And when I was finally able to leave the family home, I was relieved. Relieved to no longer be subjected to their heavy gaze of disappointment. But above all, I was relieved not to have to listen to their evening conversations when they thought I was asleep, when they wondered what they could have done to have such a son."

Ratio ran a hand over his face, trying to keep his emotions as far away as possible. He still remembered the day he'd confessed that he was giving up on Nous. 

His mother had been shattered by sorrow, truly believing that only Nous' blessing would enable her son to succeed in life. As for his father, he hadn't reacted in the slightest. It was in his eyes that Ratio could read the greatest disappointment possible for a human to reproduce, while his shoulders had slumped.

It was then that Ratio questioned his entire childhood, seeing how obsessed his family were with a god, and how close he himself had come to losing himself.

With a sigh, he finally turned his gaze to Aventurine, who hadn't moved. His gaze conveyed nothing, not an ounce of judgment could be read. This comforted Ratio. "Since then, our relations haven't been the best. I try to avoid them as much as possible because as soon as they remember that they had a disappointing son, they bring out their nonsense speech about Nous. That's all they talk about, not even asking me how I'm doing or what I'm doing. I'm afraid I no longer have the patience to put up with them."

When Aventurine was sure Ratio wasn't going to add anything, he finally murmured, still not taking his eyes off Ratio. "...I see."

He seemed to fall into a pensive mood, and Ratio let him. No doubt he was replaying Ratio's words in his head, perhaps trying to imagine Ratio's childhood. Ratio wondered how, for someone who had never lived with parents, Aventurine could feel knowing that having parents was sometimes not every child's fondest dream. He must have been far from ignorant, but all the same, his image of parents united by love must have changed.

Did he wonder if his parents could have become Ratio's parents and forced him to become someone he wasn't? The genius didn't know enough about Aventurine's family to really draw any conclusions, but he was sure that some thoughts like that must have been running through the man's head.

The latter finally drew him out of his thoughts, "I'm sorry for what happened to you, Ratio. I can't imagine what your childhood must have been like, but I hope your parents will eventually recognize their mistake and acknowledge their son as their son and nothing else. You're a wonderful person, Ratio, I really mean that. I'm sure you've achieved great things on your own, and you don't need to be recognized by that stupid Aeon to do such things."

Aventurine's face was open for once, showing affection, but also anger and sadness. Not all emotions were directed at Ratio, he knew.

They stared at each other for a few moments, as if communicating telepathically. Then Aventurine rose from his chair to approach Ratio. He bent down and, after a moment's hesitation, put his arms around Ratio, embracing him tenderly.

Ratio gasped. It took a few seconds before he was able to wrap his arms around Aventurine, making the hug complete. He buried his face in Aventurine's shoulder (not really easy when he was still sitting), closing his eyes.

Both seemed to relax in each other's arms, the world fading away around them, leaving nothing but each other's warmth.  Ratio felt as if he'd never been cuddled like that, not even by his parents, with such gentleness and understanding. 

He breathed deeply, trying to enjoy the moment while it lasted. 

They stayed like that for some time, not letting go of each other for a single second, preferring to hold on to the person who had become important in their lives.

Aventurine had to let go first, his back surely protesting, and an embarrassed smile appeared on his face, hiding the redness of his cheeks. "Are you feeling better?" he asked in a soft voice.

Ratio nodded, letting a slight smile appear, " Very much so. I didn't know I needed it. Thank you, Aventurine."

Aventurine looked at him, stunned before he regained control of his emotions and he let out a small laugh. "That was the first time I hugged my own body. It wasn't so bad."

Ratio rolled his eyes.

He hadn't imagined the evening would end like this, but he honestly didn't regret a thing. It felt good to be able to confess, knowing someone else was listening.

He probably wouldn't say anything to Aventurine, but Ratio would keep this evening in a small corner of his mind for as long as possible, wanting to cherish this memory every chance he got.

Only Aventurine could have comforted him, and chosen the words he needed to hear.

The latter began to talk about a subject that Ratio hadn't yet grasped, lost in thought as he was. He was talking about plants and seemed visibly animated by what he was saying, if his wild gestures were any indication.

Ratio simply watched him warmly, and the smile on his face didn't disappear for the rest of the evening.

Thank you, Aventurine, he repeated in his mind. Thank you for being the only person who really understands me.

Chapter Text

"Welcome, passengers. We will reach Herta Space Station in three system hours. So please make yourselves comfortable, and feel free to order a snack from our services. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any problems. We wish you an excellent journey."

Aventurine threaded his way between the people looking for a seat, between the children jostling and laughing their lungs out, and the adults chatting animatedly. He needed peace and quiet, and he knew that it was only at the back of the ship that he would find his place.

Most people ignored him, which allowed him to move forward without too much trouble. When he finally reached the back of the ship, only a few people smart enough to avoid the crowd were there. They were mostly businessmen, which suited him perfectly. They were all busy on their phones, so there would be little noise.

He settled into an empty cabin and leaned against the window. The ship having already left Pier Point, the stars and the void greeted his vision. He'd seen enough of space to be unimpressed, but all the same, the sight filled him with calm.

With a sigh, he glanced at the television, which was broadcasting the latest news. Since he'd been in Ratio's body, he hadn't once watched what was going on in the universe. What he saw and heard proved that he hadn't missed anything extraordinary.

"- We have no further information on the situation at the moment. The IPC is requesting that this situation be handled with caution, and is calling on those who were due to travel to Lotis to postpone their trip. According to the latest information, the IPC will open an investigation to find out why the Lotisian people, who is deeply connected with the Abundance, have taken such action against the Corporation. If you have any information, please don't hesitate-"

Aventurine turned off the TV, the news being boring.

He spent his time on the phone, but after only a few minutes, he turned it off. Ratio's phone was empty, no applications to pass the time, the photos were mostly about research, nobody was sending him messages... It was so boring. Nothing to do. This was the first time this had ever happened to him. To be able to do nothing. And he couldn't manage to enjoy it.

Turning back to the window, he inwardly told himself that he really didn't want to go on this business trip. It was the first time that he was going to Herta Space Station, and yet it didn't excite him. Seeing researchers lost in thought, watching men and women lose their sanity? It was so boring!  But... But, he was supposed to obey what he'd been told, and he'd been told to go there.  Ratio had been invited by a member of the Genius Society, a certain Screw... no. Screwlub? Ah. Too complicated. Ratio had told him the name so quickly that he'd barely remembered it. Just that he had to meet this person, for a research project. He had a file with him that he had to give to this Screw-something person.

It would be boring, and he'd never dealt with people from the Genius Society, but if the rumors were true, they were all a bit crazy.

His thoughts whirled, returning again and again to what had happened earlier in the week with Ratio. When he'd seen Ratio's face wounded with a deep sorrow that hadn't really healed with time, Aventurine hadn't thought at all and had hugged the man with all his might, trying to comfort him as best he could.

It was something he'd always wanted to do, but had never had the courage. And yet, something had happened that night, something Aventurine couldn't describe.

For a second, he'd actually thought Ratio would have pushed him away, disgusted by his actions, and left. But when Ratio had wrapped his own arms around him, he'd let himself breathe for a second. He'd found it hard to let go after a few minutes, and Aventurine was pleased to see that the feeling had seemed mutual.

And when Ratio had smiled at him, a smile that was almost shy but contained so much gratitude, he'd felt his heart beat faster. He'd had to look away lest he be burned by such a sight. But it would remain engraved on his mind for the rest of his life.

Maybe that was why he was having trouble with this trip. All he wanted was to spend more time with the genius and to try to see that rare yet beautiful smile again.

Ratio was perfect, and Aventurine was getting weaker and weaker for him, that was all.

I mean, look at him... His body is perfect (and I was able to examine it up close ha!), his hair is so soft... And even if he tries to play the impassive gentleman, behind the frowns and acerbic tone, he's a softy who just needs to be understood.

Aventurine groaned at his own thoughts, rolling his head back on the seat. Why did his thoughts have to take such a turn? Ratio just needed a moment of comfort, no need to turn that moment into something that surely didn't exist for them.

He rejected all thoughts of Ratio with all his might and tried to concentrate on what was going to happen. But the rest of the journey was monotonous. He often glanced at his phone, noting that only a few minutes passed each time. No one came to disturb him, which was perhaps the only good thing about the trip.

He must have closed his eyes at some point, because when he opened them again, the ship came to an abrupt halt and a thunderous voice was heard over the loudspeakers informing the passengers that they had arrived at the Space Station and that it was time for them to get the hell out (it was a more polite turn of phrase, but that's how he understood it).

With a sigh, he got up and packed his things. Exiting through the back door, he avoided the crowds and entered the vast space of the Space Station. Huh. So this was what it looked like, the place where geniuses worked. Well, Aventurine had to admit there was nothing extraordinary about it. He'd almost expected totally grand displays of the results of certain researchers' research, of trophies that geniuses had won with their brains. But no, it was neutral, unwelcoming and cold.

Snapping out of his reverie, he started walking, not really knowing where to go. He tried to call Screwlub, but couldn't find the contact on his phone, so he had to give up. When he came across what appeared to be a Space Station employee, he approached her.

The young woman looked at him for a moment, confused and obviously preoccupied by what she had to do.

Aventurine broke out his best smile (which must have worked on Ratio's face, if the slumping of the young woman's shoulders was anything to go by). "Please excuse me. I was wondering where I could find member #76 of the Genius Society?"

She frowned, tension returning to her body. "How should I know? I'm not his guardian."

"Oh. All right, excuse-"

"But you'll surely find him with Madame Herta," she resumed, sympathetically. "One of her puppets must stay near the Master Control Zone. You can start your search there."

He wanted to ask her where this zone was, but in the blink of an eye she was already gone. Researchers seemed to have it tough. Not even time to inform a poor visitor.

Whatever. He continued on his way, glancing around but finding nothing out of the ordinary. When he reached the elevator, he pushed one of the buttons without paying too much attention. If he looked hard enough, he'd find this mysterious person. And if he could remember his exact  name before meeting him, that would be perfect.

When the elevator doors opened, Aventurine already knew he was in the wrong place. There was no one around, only a large corridor that honestly gave him the creeps. However, he began to explore the place, curious.

At least this would spice up his trip a little and not bore him completely. And as a bonus, it would make a nice story to tell Ratio when he got back to Pier Point-

Stop. Stop thinking about him, just for a few minutes.

He navigated the corridors, trying to memorize where he'd arrived so as not to get even more lost than he already was. A feeling of excitement ran through his spine, at the unknown he found himself facing, and he laughed inwardly at himself. He looked more like a child playing hide-and-seek, afraid of being caught, than the researcher and genius that Ratio was supposed to be.

Eventually, he came to a door much smaller than the others, and arching an eyebrow, he opened it without hesitation.

The sight before him made him shudder. This was clearly a laboratory of some kind. Tubes that could contain... specimens such as humans were stored along with numerous screens that must have shown graphics when functioning.

This made him deeply uncomfortable. Aventurine was never a big fan of labs because he knew what they could involve. The fact that he could see these large, empty basins didn't reassure him either.  Fortunately, Ratio was not such a researcher.

Aventurine was about to quickly close the door and return from where he'd arrived to try and finally find this Screwlub when a sound stopped him.

With fear, and adrenalin, he could only react in shame. A guttural sound escaped his mouth and he immediately clamped a hand to his mouth.

He held his breath and strained his ear, trying to hear again what had frightened him (not frightened, but rather surprised, he convinced himself). Slowly (and unsurely), he moved deeper into the room, his eyes examining every inch of the laboratory.

Behind an examination table, he finally discovered some colorful stuffed animals. He frowned. What were those things doing there? An uneasy feeling came over him, as he immediately imagined that children lived there, because they were experienced and in front of him were the only toys they had. He imagined the hard life these children must have lived, and hoped with all his being that they were no longer there, that they had escaped the violence and suffering humanity was capable of producing.

His thoughts short-circuited as quickly as they had appeared, when he saw a living eye, on a normally non-conscious stuffed animal, open up and look at him. The creature's eyes filled with sadness and confusion.

Aventurine rubbed his eyes, but when the same sight greeted him, he had to realize that the illusion was real.

Aventurine knelt down gently so as not to frighten the creature (or himself) and reached out a hand towards it. The latter blinked softly before letting out a mewl filled with sorrow. He hesitantly began to smell his hand with a small, wet nose. Once his hand had been examined from every angle, he was able to place his hand on the creature's head and begin stroking it.

"What are you doing here, mhh?" he asked in a whisper as the other creatures around him woke up and approached him, as if waiting for a caress.

He laughed at the creatures' audacity and began stroking each one. The little creatures purred loudly, and Aventurine was secretly under their spell. He let his muscles relax, as there was clearly no danger for the moment.

One of the cats, because that's what it looked like most, tenderly licked one of his fingers, which made him tickle. "Oh my, aren't you all cute?"

When his knees began to protest, he had to force himself up and the little guys scurried to his feet, cuddling his ankles and meowing, all the while looking at him with tear-filled eyes.

Letting out a chuckle, he took out a packet of cookies and handed them out. The creatures lunged for them as if starving. Crumbs flew everywhere in their haste, while some grunted, obviously protecting their little find.

Aventurine looked at them for a moment, before realizing that his phone was vibrating in his pocket. He quickly pulled out the phone and read the message on the screen.

Screwllum: Have you arrived at your destination safely? I'd be sorry to hear you couldn't make it.

...Fine. Screwllum or Screwlub was really the same thing. There were only a few letters' difference! Aventurine gave himself an imaginary pat on the shoulder, at the capacity of his memory, as exceptional as ever. 

He typed furiously on the keyboard.

Dr. Ratio: I've arrived safely. Can you tell me where you are?

Screwllum: Ah. My sincerest apologies. I should have informed you right away that I'm currently in Herta's office in the Master Control Zone. I'll be waiting for you there.

Aventurine arched an eyebrow. That Screwllum was certainly polite. He seemed quite suitable for a guy from the Genius Society. What a pleasant surprise.

But if someone could tell him where this area was, that would help!

Trying to move, he shifted his ankle tentatively, trying to get the cats to back off. With a few yelps and several scratches, he managed to get out of the little creatures' trap.

"I'll come back and see you later, I promise," he told them. These cats were so cute. He should find out more about them. He didn't know how such animals could be in a laboratory without anyone keeping an eye on them, but he had to investigate. And if someone had abandoned them to their sad fate, maybe... he could do something about it. These animals didn't deserve to live in a place like this.

No, no, no, no. He shook his head. There was no point in getting carried away and imagining things. Perhaps these were very dangerous experiments that shouldn't leave this laboratory.

He rolled his shoulders. His heart sank as he saw one of the cats sobbing its eyes out, but he hardened. First he had to do what he'd come here to do, and then he could do what he wanted.

He left quickly without looking back, and when he reached the elevator, this time he began to tap the first button at the top. If he did it by elimination, he should arrive at his destination.

As if his luck was with him, when he stepped out of the elevator, many people were working. He disturbed one of them, asking where Herta's office was. The employee gestured vaguely to a certain spot, and Aventurine headed straight in that direction.

It was with relief that he finally entered the office, and after all his adventures he admitted that his feet were starting to hurt. Two people, one taller than the other, turned in unison as they heard him enter.

The mechanical form that must have been Screwllum stood up and approached him. Aventurine was sure he saw him smile even though his face didn't move.

"Doctor Ratio, I'm delighted to see you looking so well. I hope your trip went well and that you're not too tired."

"Ah. Thank you, everything's fine."

Screwllum turned to the small figure behind him, who was spying on them in a funny way. He cleared his throat, and the puppet rolled his eyes before dismissing them with a wave of his hand.

"Stop looking at me. What do you want me to do? Come on, shoo, get out of my office, I've got more important things to do than listen to your boring conversation."

Screwllum sighed visibly, before turning to him, "We'll have to go. I'm afraid Herta isn't in the mood for visitors."

"Hey! I can hear you!"

Outside the office, they didn't attract much attention. The fact that Screwllum was there didn't seem to intimidate the employees, which showed how often he must have been here, but also how well he behaved with other people. If no one was afraid of him, he wasn't doing anything to provoke their fear. Five points, Ratio would say in this situation.

They both went to a fairly secluded part of the area, so as not to disturb the other people working in front of their computers.

Aventurine immediately handed him the document Ratio had wanted to give him, wanting this meeting to end as quickly as possible. He had far more urgent things to do.

Screwllum thanked him calmly before examining each document, stroking his chin. His mechanical eyes were examining everything without letting anything slip, and Aventurine was almost curious to know what was in those papers. He was certain that Screwllum's brain was working like an old ship's engine.

After a while, Screwllum lifted his head from the paperwork and said thoughtfully, "This is excellent work. As usual, if I do say so myself. What you've developed in these documents is really relevant." He hummed, thinking. "If we want to know more about Aeons, it's not necessarily a bad idea to look into studying humans. After all, the Aeons may be all-powerful in the galaxy, but who would they be without their followers?"

"I also think it's the simplest for our studies. How can we observe Aeons if nobody has ever seen one? Whereas people are everywhere, and each have their... own point of view on the question of Aeons and why they particularly follow one rather than another. Understanding humans will make us understand the Aeons."

"Hmm, yes." Screwllum nodded, clearly satisfied with Aventurine's explanation. "I must say, I was right to turn to you for this project. Herta also has a project of her own, but while we're concentrating on humans, she prefers to focus on the Aeons and their relationships with each other."

Aventurine couldn't help but scoff. The more he learned about the Emanator of Erudition, the less he liked her. "Looking too closely at Aeons can only end badly for her." His mouth twisted into a grimace he couldn't hide. Aventurine and his relationship with the Aeons was... complicated, to put it simply.

With a chuckle, Screwllum preferred not to reply. The meeting continued for several hours, much to Aventurine's dismay. Screwllum really did seem to be a genius. He thought about a lot of things at once, and kept asking questions when he wasn't sure about something. Aventurine answered as best he could, but when faced with such a person, he often had to shrug his shoulders, realizing that he didn't know everything.

The project that Ratio and Screwllum seemed to be working on together was certainly progressing well, if the satisfied little noise Screwllum made at the end of the meeting meant anything. They found another date to meet again and report on the progress of their project.

Aventurine finally let out a sigh of relief when he was finally alone and could do what he wanted. He had a mission to accomplish and nothing could stop him now.

With a sure step, he made his way back to Herta's office without bothering to knock. Herta looked up from her work, clearly not surprised to see Aventurine without Screwllum, as if she'd expected this outcome.

"Well, well, what do you want?" she asked without preamble and going back to her work.

Was she using a direct approach? Good. At least she had a few redeeming qualities. "I've had the displeasure of wandering around the Station," he began, approaching her. She looked up at him, suddenly annoyed. "As it happens, I've had a wonderful encounter that I wasn't expecting. Tell me, you who know everything here, what are the creatures that live near the abandoned laboratory?"

Herta gave him a cold look, yet it was with an intrigued voice that she asked, "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

She looked at him strangely, before shrugging. "These are Ruan Mei's experiments. She left them here. Pfff, she could have taken them with her at least, instead of leaving her garbage behind." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I don't care about these things. Do what you want with them, take them, eat them, test them again. I couldn't care less."

He arched an eyebrow, surprised at the scientist's lack of scruples about giving someone else's work to a perfect stranger. "This... Ruan Mei, isn't she going to say anything about you giving these experiments to someone? It doesn't belong to you."

"She didn't have to leave them here. We're not in a warehouse here."

"I see." Indeed, he could see what kind of character this Herta was, who was reputed to be a nameless genius who had performed feats that could be heard in the four corners of the universe. And yet nobody talked about how cold and selfish this woman was.

In any case, he had the answer he wanted. With a nod of his head to avoid appearing rude, he turned back, ready to find the little guys and finally get them out of the hole that was the Space Station. Yes, he was going to get them out of here and back with him. That was all they deserved, after all.

"Don't move so fast, big guy."

He held back a sigh. Without turning around, he asked tautly, "What, now?"

He heard footsteps slowly approaching before Herta stepped in front of him. She paused with her hands on her hips, pursing her lips. "Do you remember our last conversation? It may have been a few months ago, but I remember it clearly. Clear as day."

Aventurine watched her, wondering what Ratio and Herta had been discussing. Probably a research project. He could hardly see Ratio making friends with such a researcher. Frowning, to show that his patience was wearing thin, he said, "I remember that, yes."

"Oooh, really?"

They didn't let go of each other's gaze, Aventurine because he knew how to deal with the sort of person who thought themselves superior to everyone else and Herta because she wished to emphasize a point. The tension was palpable and Aventurine vaguely wondered what Ratio could have done or said to deserve Herta's wrath.

An unfriendly smile played on Herta's lips but a gleam of satisfaction could be seen in her cold eyes. "I've said what I had to say. Now leave, I don't want to see you again. I've got work to do!" And just like that, she returned to her work, without giving him another glance.

What a freak. Members of the Genius Society were really peculiar, that was for sure. Shaking his head, he left Herta's office and set off again to find the creatures he'd discovered earlier.

These little critters were so cute, he had to act impulsively. Aventurine couldn't simply leave them there, in a cold laboratory, with no one to look after them. He knew all too well the feeling of being alone, abandoned by everyone, and he didn't want that to happen again to other living beings. Experiments or not.

This time, he didn't take the wrong route, having memorized all the corridors and elevators he needed to return to the laboratory. No one came to bother him, and in a few minutes he was through the laboratory door.

The cats greeted him with a pathetic noise, stretching out their paws to be taken in his arms. He bent down and put one on his lap while he stroked two other cats. The three looked alike, all black. Their golden eyes watched him intently, as if waiting for him to feed them again.

Ah. If the IPC knew that Aventurine of Stratagems, one of the Stonehearts, Diamond's subordinate, Avgin and former slave found himself defeated by the sight of three miserable cats, he'd get fired right away for sure.

He laughed fondly. "I can't leave you here. You're too cute to deserve this. What would you say to coming with me, hmm?"

One cat yawned, unconcerned about the future, while the other nibbled one of his fingers. The one in his lap purred with pleasure, closing its eyes.

Well, they'd chosen, hadn't they? Satisfied with the creatures' response, he somehow got his phone out of his pocket without moving the cat from his lap. Only a small sound of disapproval could be heard.

Aventurine took a selfie with the cat on his lap before sending the photo to Ratio.

Ratio (Me): Look at these little balls of cuteness. They're coming home!

Ratio must have been online because his response was immediate.

Aventurine (Doc): What kind of animal is this? I've never seen one before.

Aventurine laughed. Only Ratio could ask such questions instead of talking about their fat-filled little round cheeks.

Ratio (Me): I dunno. Some kind of cat? I'll take them back to my place, so you can examine them.

He put his phone down beside him, put the cat on his lap back on the ground and stood up. He watched them for a moment before wondering aloud, "How am I going to carry you all by myself?"

The cats meowed, looking at him with round eyes.

Obviously, they weren't going to help him find a solution.

Aventurine sighed. It was up to him to sort it all out, wasn't it?

Chapter Text

Aventurine heaved a weary sigh, his muscles trembling with fatigue demanding that he let go of what he was holding. But he was a relentless man, and just because his arms were grumbling a little didn't mean he was going to give in just yet.

There was a mewl just beside his left ear, but he didn't pay any attention to it either. He kept going with three cats and his belongings in his hands. He was only a few meters to his apartment door, so surely he'd make it, right? Right?

A drop of sweat rolled down his temple, and he had to restrain himself from scratching.

Two of the cats were held by his left arm, which was starting to shake so hard it felt like a mini-earthquake, while another was clutching his shoulder, its claws digging into his clothes. In the other hand, he was holding his belongings and a few things he'd bought for the cats, such as snacks.

So yes, he looked more like a walking cargo than a human being at the moment!

It was with a sigh of relief that he reached the door. He unceremoniously dropped his belongings, folding and unfolding his fingers to get the blood flowing before opening the door.

"Come on, everyone on the floor," he said, starting to set the cats down so they could discover their new surroundings. Aventurine watched them sniff around, while they hesitated to explore as if they wanted to stay with him, out of fear of the unknown.

He huffed a sigh, but left them to it.

He hoped they'd like his apartment. He might not have a place set up for them, but that was for now. With a bit of time, he could create a cozy little nest where the cats could rest.

He went off to collect his belongings, which were still in the hallway, before closing the door behind him.

"Ratio?" he called, avoiding stepping on the cats as he entered the living room. Ah. The man was there, his nose plunged into a book totally absorbed in what he was reading. When he realized he was no longer alone, he finally looked up. He gently closed the book and stood up.

"How was the trip? I hope it wasn't too tiresome for you?"

Aventurine shrugged. "I endured." He gestured to Ratio to come closer and follow him. "But come, come! I must introduce you to my new companions. You'll love them."

"Ah, yes. The cats. I must admit I'm rather curious," Ratio echoed behind him as he followed him to the apartment entrance.

The cats had hardly moved, preferring to stay together in an unfamiliar place. Aventurine let out a chuckle at their shyness as he knelt down. Ratio, beside him, did the same, watching them with fascination.

"I'm surprised Herta let you take them without any hesitation," Ratio remarked. He extended a cautious hand to one of the cats, which sniffed it warily before hissing and backing away.

A smile spread across Aventurine's face. These little animals only seemed to trust him. "She said she didn't care." He stood up, before rummaging through the shopping bags. He picked up the bag of snacks and opened it before taking a few and handing them to Ratio, who quietly accepted them.

"Here, I'm sure if you feed them, they'll accept you without difficulty."

Ratio tried again, his hand overflowing with small treats. The cats hesitated for a moment before slowly approaching. Ratio didn't move for a moment, not wanting to frighten the critters. Gradually, the cats began to eat slowly from his hand, before gorging themselves like brats who hadn't eaten for a week (translation: two hours). Their cheeks puffed up, looking more like squirrels stocking up for winter than well-groomed felines.

Faced with this sight, even Ratio couldn't resist them and laughed softly. Aventurine looked at him, transfixed.

Soon, the cats allowed themselves to be stroked by Ratio, purrs escaping throughout the room.

While Ratio was obviously enjoying himself with the cats, Aventurine began to tidy up his belongings, showing off what he had bought for his new little companions.

"I wasn't sure what they needed," began Aventurine, pulling several toys out of the bag, "so I bought some toys so they wouldn't get bored when they're all on their own. I also bought brushes, shampoos, a claw clipper, and some bowls. Oh -" he held up a small blanket with rubber ducks on it to Ratio, who raised his eyebrows, "- when I saw this I couldn't resist. It reminded me of you and I'm sure the cats will love it too. They'll be able to sleep comfortably on it." He folded the blanket before putting it to one side. "What else did I buy... Ah yes. I picked up a few packets of sweets with different flavors. I don't know their preference yet." Reaching into the bottom of his bag, he pulled out three different colored necklaces with a little bell on them. "Since they're all black, I thought it would be easier to tell them apart if they had different collars. As they're a bit unusual, the simplest thing would be to put their collars on their tails. What do you think?"

Ratio looked at him in such a way that he had to stop for a moment and consider whether he had said something stupid. After a few seconds of silence, Aventurine asked almost defensively, "What?"

His friend shook his head almost in disbelief. "Nothing, I assure you. I was just thinking, these cats will have a lovely life with you."

"Well, hopefully! That's all they deserve after being abandoned."

His cheeks pinkened for some reason, and he hurried to turn around to avoid Ratio's intense gaze. While the latter stayed with the cats (it seemed the little cats had even managed to charm Ratio. How talented they were!), he went off to set up his little finds.

The blanket with the rubber ducks found its place beside the sofa, under a small table. The food and treats went under the kitchen sink, and he made sure to lock the door behind him. The little creatures wouldn't hesitate to rummage around for food once they were comfortable.

For the rest, however, he was forced to stop. Where could he put the care products? He couldn't see putting them in the bathroom, especially as there was already no room, with his own care products. First, he needed a box. Yes, he'd have to start by putting them in a box. He rummaged through his kitchen cupboards, looking for an empty box, but found nothing of interest.

Ratio had definitely cleaned up too well, if all the empty boxes he stored in his kitchen were gone. Whatever. There had to be something empty in his room.

Aventurine headed for his room and started rummaging, making an even bigger mess than it already was. Clothes stored in his wardrobe flew everywhere, but to no avail. With a sigh, he examined his room, trying to find something when something caught his eye.

He felt his brows furrow as he held his breath, approaching his desk. The little box that had been sitting in the corner of his desk, hidden by some silly decorations, was still there. He opened it and was not surprised to discover that nothing had moved inside. He stroked the object tenderly, momentarily forgetting what had brought him here in the first place, before gently closing the box.

Looking down, he couldn't find what should have been there. Where? Where was it?

His eyes began to search everywhere, trying as hard as he could not to start panicking. It didn't matter. It couldn't have been that far away, maybe he'd buried it when he'd taken his clothes out of the wardrobe.

It didn't matter.

Everyone has lost something of value before, right? 

Aventurine dropped to his knees, the latter protesting but the pain failed to register in his brain. He lay down, searching under the bed, checking everywhere with his hands.

His hands found nothing, and his breath caught in his throat.

How? How had he managed to lose one of the few objects he held as dear as his own life?

And where the hell had it gone?

"Ratio," he said in a strangely strangled voice, starting to remove the sheets from the bed. Maybe the T-shirt was caught between the sheets. It was possible. Yes. "Have you cleaned the room recently?"

Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm. Calm--

It wasn't the end of the world.

It happened. It happened all the time. To everyone.

His sweaty, trembling hands couldn't find anything in the bed either, but there was still hope. The T-shirt had to be in that room. It was the only possible explanation.

Ratio's voice came softly before his head popped out of the bedroom doorway. His face frowned at the mess Aventurine had just created with his own hands. "Indeed. But I didn't go through your things, if what you're asking. Are you looking for something?"

Ratio's voice grew distant, as Aventurine's thoughts looped in his head.

Where was his father's T-shirt?

It wasn't hard to find something, was it? Was he so incapable that he couldn't even do that?

Search, damn it! Do something, move!

His vision blurred with tears and he blinked rapidly to make them disappear. He scanned the room once more before rushing into the living room.

Yes. Yes! He'd left it in the living room, that was it. He probably couldn't remember, but he'd put it on his sofa after hugging it when he'd been lonely one night. And he'd forgotten it there.

A vicious voice cut through the rest of his thoughts. Was he really trying to convince himself of a lie? He knew exactly where he'd put it, and it wasn't in the living room.

His gestures became erratic, devoid of logic. His thoughts betrayed him, but he had no choice. The living room began to look like a mess, and still, there were no traces of what he was looking for.

 Besides, if he lost it, would it really matter? It was just a T-shirt.

A vulgar T-shirt. Dirty and worthless.

It was just the last vestige of his father, of Sigonia, but it didn't matter.

No, no, no, it didn't matter.

A sob escaped his throat as he turned over the rug next to the sofa. But even there, there was nothing.

His fingers trembled uncontrollably as he opened drawer after drawer, no longer even thinking, no longer even trying to understand why he'd put the thing in such a place.

Just breathe. Stay calm. Breathe in. Breathe out. Search. Find.

A hand finally came to rest on his shoulder and he suddenly turned, almost ready to attack (no one had the right to stop him searching, no one, no one!), and when his vision cleared sufficiently of tears, he could see Ratio's confused, worried face.

No. His own face.

It was his own face watching him. 

But he'd never seen such feelings reflected so clearly on his own face before.

Why didn't his own eyes show hatred as he watched him? He was the one who'd misplaced the T-shirt! It was him!

Aventurine began to speak... No, not Aventurine. Maybe it was his face. But it wasn't him. Not really. Ratio. Yes.

And although Ratio said something using Aventurine's voice, the latter didn't understand a word. "...What?" he said in a small voice he hated as soon as he heard it. He looked down, ready to search again, because that was all that mattered at the moment when Ratio said in a louder voice.

"What's wrong, Aventurine?"

He swallowed with difficulty. He opened his mouth several times, but no sound came out. It was then, as he watched his face and Ratio looked at him in confusion, that something clicked in his mind. He felt his blood run cold. 

"... Have you touched my things?" he whispered, not daring to believe it.

"Why would I do that? If you've lost something, I'm sure we can find it together, so-"

"Did you touch my fucking stuff?" He grabbed Ratio by the collar, pulling him closer. His eyes never left his, and Aventurine watched for the slightest gesture that would let him know if Ratio was lying. "Tell me!" he growled.

"I have already told you, I haven't touched your belongings!" A flicker of annoyance crossed Ratio's gaze, but Aventurine saw nothing else. "If you could tell me what you've lost, maybe I could help you."

Don't trust him. He could be lying. They're all liars, after all. You can't trust anyone.

Aventurine sneered. "My T-shirt! Where is it? What did you do with it?"

Confusion was all over Ratio's face, and it irritated Aventurine even more. Why couldn't he understand it? "Are you looking for a T-shirt? You don't need to get so worked up over so little, gambler. We'll find it together-"

"What?" Indignant, Aventurine stepped back. His face twisted with an anger that burned everything in its path. "This shirt is the last memento I have of my father. The only one! I can't lose it.  Without it, I have nothing to tie me to him, nothing to tie me to Sigonia, nothing at all! You may not care about your parents, but I've never known them."

Ratio scoffed, his face turning red with anger. However, it was in an icy voice that could cut the tension between the two of them that he said, trying to control himself, "Don't twist the words I said, Aventurine."

"You should find yourself grateful to have parents who love you! Yes, they're not perfect, but at least they're present in your life. But I, I have to attach myself to trinkets so I don't forget them and remember that once I too, had a family. You're ungrateful, Ratio. You're an ungrateful son."

Ratio looked at him in horror, as if he couldn't believe his ears. He tried to pull himself together, closing his eyes tightly. "... This isn't the time to talk about this. You're just trying to make me angry in order for you to ignore your pain. And I'm the closest person to do that, aren't I? Let me tell you, it simply won't work."

Ah. Nice Ratio, who always wanted to understand him, who never got angry. He was far too good for Aventurine. But he wanted to hurt Ratio, to make him understand how much he was suffering, how lost he was without his objects. But Ratio didn't understand him. He didn't understand why Aventurine was in such a state. Didn't he understand because he didn't care about his parents, was that it? But he shouldn't impose his feelings on someone else. This shirt meant everything to him. Everything.

But in the end, was there really any point in hurting Ratio? No, it only served to push him away, away from the virus and poison that was Aventurine. He was truly an awful man. The only person he cared about, and he'd used his words to push him as far away from him as possible.

With a low moan from the back of his throat, Aventurine let go of Ratio, and he grabbed his hair, pulling with all his might.

Good. Good.

The pain drove away his dark thoughts and allowed him to think calmly.

He tried to breathe calmly, to regain control of his emotions.

He didn't know what to do. Everything he did was wrong. When he opened his mouth, Ratio had to bear the consequences. When he forgot something, he started to panic. Everything he did generated something terrible.

Ratio's intense eyes never left him for a second. He ended up hugging himself, clutching his shoulders with all his might, deliberately keeping his eyes on the ground. He was being judged, wasn't he? Judged by Ratio. Because he couldn't keep his shit to himself, because he'd had to lose his composure, because he wasn't clever, plain and simple.

Not clever enough to keep a piece of cloth safe.

Failure. You're a failure. Nothing more, nothing less.

...Shut up.

He bit his lip, trying not to shake his voice. He only managed to croak, "My shirt. I've lost it. I need it back. I need it. I..."

Stop looking at me like that. Not with those eyes. Look away.

Anything but me.

Ratio nodded, remaining calm even as a wave of emotion threatened to engulf Aventurine. Ratio's fists were clenched at his side, showing how hard it was for him to control his emotions. But he was managing. It was much better than him. "I see. What does it look like? Maybe I've seen him somewhere."

Stop.

Don't. Don't. Don't pretend you care about me.

When I'm so horrible, when I've hurt you.

... I'm sorry.

Aventurine wanted to make himself the smallest person in the world, to be forgotten by everyone, and above all not to feel the gaze of Ratio, the only person who mattered to him. Because the fact that he was looking at him, that he was seeing him when Aventurine had just panicked, lost control of his emotions for a T-shirt no less? It was shameful.

"It's just a T-shirt. Don't worry about it. I'm sorry."

"Don't say that," One of the muscles near Ratio's jaw tensed, and Aventurine saw him swallow with difficulty. Yes, yes, it was hard to stay calm in front of a monster like him. Ratio stepped towards him, and Aventurine wanted to step back, not to burn further in front of such a look, but he was already stuck against the wall and there was nothing more he could do. "I know you, even if you might think otherwise. That shirt can only be found in this apartment."

The tears that had gathered near his eyes flowed more freely and Aventurine could do nothing to hold them back. "It's just a stupid T-shirt. Dirty. It used to be green. But it's got stains now."

"Oh."

Aventurine looked up, sniffing pathetically.

"You see?" he said in a voice filled with so much disappointment that Aventurine felt overwhelmed with shame. "If you'd talked about your problem earlier, you wouldn't have lost your temper like that. I know where it is."

When he was sure Aventurine wasn't going to answer him, he heaved a sigh filled with annoyance and turned on his heels. Aventurine watched him go, wiping his eyes as best he could and trying to regain some semblance of normalcy.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Please forgive me.

A whirlwind of confusion, anger and pain clouded his mind, but Ratio knew what he had to find. He'd seen that damned T-shirt a few days ago when he'd cleaned the room, and he knew perfectly well where it was. Ah, if he'd known, he wouldn't have cleaned anything in that room.

Ratio entered the bathroom with determination, before finding what he was looking for on the pile of dirty clothes. He'd been about to clean the clothes. In the back of his mind, he congratulated himself on having had the good sense to want to wash them after Aventurine had left.

In his hands, the T-shirt was a pitiful sight. There was nothing exceptional about it and it really wasn't very pretty. He noticed that there was a hole near the left shoulder, a sign that this shirt had seen and endured a lot.

With a sigh more from fatigue than anything else, he set off to find Aventurine.

He'd never seen Aventurine in such a state, and it almost scared him. He'd been paralyzed for a few seconds, watching without a thought in his mind, not understanding the man who was making a fuss, turning his apartment upside down. He'd been afraid. Afraid of what, he couldn't really say. But the fact that Aventurine wasn't reacting as he usually did had frightened him.

He knew what anger and panic could do to people. If he'd gotten angry, it would have been the last straw, and it wouldn't have helped matters. No, there was no point in trying to talk when nobody was listening anyway. But Ratio was still deeply hurt. Was that what Aventurine was thinking deep down? Don't we say that the words of an angry person always have a grain of sincerity? Ratio had come to a point where he didn't know what to think. His mind was blank, devoid of thought.

When he re-entered the living room, Aventurine was still there, looking petrified and not daring to move a muscle. Ratio held the T-shirt out to him. "Here."

Aventurine's eyes slowly moved up to him, until they rested on the garment in his hands. With palpable relief, he unscrupulously snatched the garment from his hands and stuck it against his chest, burying his nose in it. He closed his eyes and didn't move.

Ratio looked at him stupidly, not moving like an old stick that had been hammered too hard into the ground. He watched Aventurine calm down by the minute. The tension left his muscles, his shoulders slumped, and he breathed calmly.

Bitterly, he lowered his eyes to avoid seeing such a sight, which for some reason wounded him deeply. He was about to leave and let the man calm down as much as he wanted, when Aventurine held him back with just two words. 

"Wa-Wait. Please."

Ratio closed his eyes with all his might. He didn't know what else to do.

"Ratio," Aventurine said in a tiny voice where in other circumstances he would have thought it cute. "Please don't go. I'm sorry."

He refused to look at Aventurine even though the latter had stood in front of him, clutching the T-shirt with his arms. "I'm sorry," he repeated when he saw he wasn't going to say anything. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I didn't mean it, I never meant it. It was wrong. I know I'm a horrible person but I'm sorry. I... I was trying to hurt you. Just like you said. You didn't understand... And... And I said the first thing that came into my mind."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ratio saw how Aventurine was biting his lip. He wanted to scold him for it, but said nothing. Instead, his mouth pressed into a hard line. "I understand... I understand you don't want to see me anymore," Aventurine resumed unsure of himself with sorrow in his voice. "As soon as we've found a solution for our bodies, you can stay away from me. I promise, you won't see me again."

Ratio finally let out a sigh, looking down at his feet. "You said some things that hurt me, I'm not going to deny that. Just because I don't understand something, doesn't give you any right to disrespect me and insult me in such a way that offends me."

Aventurine nodded, all strength having left his body.

"But," he resumed, waving a finger in front of him to get his attention, "I understand that it was panic and anger that spoke. That in no way means I never want to see you again. We... We all make mistakes, I'm well aware of that. That's what makes us human." He hesitated a moment before adding, "I'm aware that this situation is quite difficult and stressful for both of us. As long as we're stuck in this state, I'm afraid we're in for more problems of this kind. We're, to put it properly, at the very end of our rope."

Aventurine looked up, visibly surprised that Ratio didn't get angrier. Hope and fear were reflected in his eyes. He had to believe that it was obviously over for them. 

Aventurine was about to say something, surely to affirm his agreement, when a mewl stopped him. They both turned their gaze to the cat who had obviously been crying, no doubt because of the noise they had made.

"Ah. Look at him," Ratio said, picking him up and stroking him. The little cat quickly calmed down, its eyes closing with pleasure.

An awkward silence settled between them, no one knowing exactly what to say to break the ice.

After picking up the other two cats, who had hidden behind shoes to make themselves forgotten, they sat down on the sofa.

They put a random movie on TV, but nobody was concentrating on what was happening on the screen. The three cats had migrated to Ratio when they realized they weren't going to be petted by Aventurine. The latter had curled up on himself, cuddling his knees and holding the T-shirt firmly in his hands.

"I've never met my father," muttered Aventurine beside him. His eyes were riveted on what he held in his hands, but his mind must have been elsewhere. On a planet far away, dusty and forgotten by most of the inhabitants of this universe. "He was already dead when I was born. We... I mean, my mother and sister had kept quite a few of his possessions in a small box. But, uh well. When we were forced to move to avoid violence, we left it all behind."

He swallowed with difficulty, as if something in the back of his throat was stuck. He stroked the old cloth almost tenderly. "My sister used to say it was okay to have left our things behind. Because as long as we stay together, we'll always be able to remember him and he won't be forgotten." A bitter laugh shook him, and he turned his dark eyes to Ratio. "And now I'm the only one who remembers my family. Isn't that ironic? If I die, there'll be no proof they ever existed."

Ratio stroked the cats mechanically. "This is far from the truth," he replied in a monotone voice. The evening had exhausted him. "You just told me about them, didn't you? I may not have known them, but if you continue to speak to me about your family, then I'll know their story too.  In the end, their memory will not be lost, nor will it be when one day you're no longer here to tell their story. Many people have written down their story in this way, simply so that it doesn't end up being erased from people's memories."

"...Ah. Maybe I should do that."

The silence fell again. Aventurine closed his eyes while Ratio continued to stare blankly at the TV.

"I feel like this thing," Aventurine pointed to the T-shirt, "is still impregnated with the smell of the Sigonian desert. Sometimes I miss it. The landscape of flat steppes with no civilizations around. And other times... I hate this damned planet. I hate it, because it was the first and last place I had a home."

"That must have been nice," Ratio replied wearily, "To have a home, I mean." Yes, Ratio had and still has a family, but living in a house where love wasn't welcome wasn't a home where you could rest, feel safe and loved. It felt more like a prison than anything else. And living alone isn't a home, it's just a house, a cold, unloving place.

How was someone supposed to feel when they came home, and were greeted by the smile of the person who loved them? Ratio would probably never know.

The TV showed two children playing happily with a ball, a dog chasing behind. Its tail was wagging in all directions, showing how excited and happy the dog was.

"I can't wait for this to end," Aventurine whispered in a voice so small that Ratio wasn't sure he was supposed to hear what he was saying. "As much as I dread going back into my body, at least I won't be able to hurt you like I did today. You don't deserve that. Even if you say it was stress talking, I should never have said something like that."

Both children smiled up to their ears, their eyes shining with happiness. A bee landed on one of the boys, and while one began to panic and run around, the other exploded with laughter, holding his stomach.

Ratio's eyes stung and he blinked several times to make the horrible sensation go away.

The children's laughter haunted his mind, and even though he looked away from the TV, the children's happiness resounded in his ears, as loud as a drum at a funfair. 

Chapter Text

“Ah. The IPC ambassador. How unpleasant it is to finally meet you,” said the leader of Lotis, as Ratio had just entered his office.

“The displeasure is all mine,” he replied smoothly, not waiting for an invitation to sit down before doing so. The Lotis leader, Suhartos, watched him, not hiding his disdain behind beautiful smiles and honeyed eyes.

After several meetings with the Stonehearts, it had been agreed to send Aventurine to Lotis to settle the matter that had been reigning for several weeks on this planet that worshipped the Abundance.

He was supposed to enter into negotiations with the planet's leaders, find a compromise and reassure them of the IPC's role in the future of Lotis. He had a complicated job ahead of him, which he was dreading: How was he supposed to carry out all these tasks when he knew nothing about the field of negotiation and deception?

The planet's atmosphere hadn't helped calm his nerves either. When he and a few other IPC employees had first arrived on the planet, he had almost marveled at the beauty of the place. He'd seen gigantic trees towering high into the sky, while the grass at the foot of the trees was green beyond belief.  Species Ratio had never seen before hid behind the huge trunks, while birds had chirped at the top of their voices.

And in the midst of it all, he spotted a large, secluded city hiding from everything else.

There was no denying that the planet was bursting with life.

But as with all things, life had to be balanced. And death was all too present on this green planet, especially after the tragedies that had taken place some time ago.

When he had first set foot on Lotis, a burning smell had assailed his nostrils, signifying that there had been traces of conflict.

He knew what had happened recently, notably the riots against the IPC. Several of the IPC buildings had gone up in flames.

While Lotis had been isolated for a very long time, the IPC had slowly begun to establish itself on Lotis with the agreement of the leaders over the last few months. This soon changed, however, as the planet began to open up to the universe, and began to understand the real nature of the IPC. The leaders  may have heard some unflattering rumours about the IPC, and Ratio wasn't interested in finding out if they were true or not. What mattered was that Suhartos had believed them, and had chosen the hard way to scare off the Corporation: kill every member of the IPC present on the planet and set fire to all their possessions.

He was a crazy man if he preferred to use the hard way rather than dialogue, and this was confirmed when Ratio saw the little gleam of madness in the leader's eyes.

“Let's get straight to the point,” exclaimed Suhartos as he settled comfortably into his chair, a sign that he was at ease with the forthcoming negotiations. Ratio scoffed only more viciously. “I want you and the others off my planet, or you'll end up like the other dogs of the IPC.”

Ratio opted for a calm approach. It was a good way to start, wasn't it? Showing good faith and all. “You're a follower of the Aeon of Immortality. All life is precious. You'd be willing to go against your god, and for what? Because you're afraid that a Corporation with enormous power will take over Lotis. Wouldn't the best thing to do be to find a compromise that satisfies all parties?”

“Oh. I've heard the famous compromises the IPC is always willing to make when negotiating,” he laughed, playing with the threads of his suit. “I've also heard that when the IPC is denied a contract, it takes drastic measures to eradicate protests.”

“I didn't think a leader of an entire planet could blindly believe such rumors.”

“Don't take me for a fool,” the man snapped, his cheeks flushing. “I've done my research. The IPC currently has so many employees throughout the galaxy, it presently has the largest 'army' that could possibly exist. I don't take it into account, of course, the Antimatter Legion or the Swarm.” Suhartos stood up suddenly, pacing around his desk. Ratio followed his every move, not letting him out of his sight for a second. “I don't want Lotis to end up in the Corporation's crosshairs and her people to become more nameless victims.” He turned abruptly, a disturbing smile on his lips, “So the only solution I've come up with, is to attack immediately, pull out the weed at its root and get rid of it as quickly as possible. Isn't that a splendid idea?"

Ratio merely watched him, his muscles tensing. He was extremely uncomfortable, and not just because this was his first mission of such magnitude. The man... This Suhartos was a moron the likes of whom he'd never seen before. He clearly had a problem, and Ratio was afraid that if he just sat there in his chair doing nothing, that problem would become his problem very quickly.

“...I see,” he said cautiously. “To you, the IPC is just a malevolent Corporation even though it follows in the footsteps of Preservation. However, we only want to negotiate so that our future contacts run smoothly. If you accept this contract and respect it, we'll even be ready to forget what happened here.” Ratio wasn't convinced that forgetting the dozens of deaths inflicted by the Lotisians was a good idea. However, it was one of the conditions Jade had told him to propose. Skeptically, he'd had to agree.

“Haha, do you hear what you're saying?” laughed the man. “This only proves that I was right.”

His jaw muscles began to ache. There was no reason to continue trying to negotiate with this man. He wasn't ready to listen. Ratio didn't know if it was because of his poor negotiating tactics, or simply because the man was volatile. “Can't we find an agreement on which a solution would suit everyone?” Ratio tried again.

The man scoffed, as if Ratio had just offended him. He stopped walking in circles, and glanced at him with a look of contempt. “You came into my office thinking you were about to negotiate. Am I right? However, you failed to realize that we were never in negotiations. I simply said what I thought of your little Corporation and you listened. That's all.”

Ratio clenched his fists, his nails digging into the flesh. He stood up in turn, one foot pointing towards the exit. A heavy atmosphere hung over the office, and the longer he stayed by the Lotisian's side, the more he wanted to get out. He tried his best to control his voice. “If that is your wish, our discussion comes to an end. The IPC could have helped you further develop your interstellar relations, but I see you prefer to act impulsively.”

He had a bad feeling. Something that told him that at no point should he turn around, and show the man his back. He began to back away slowly, watching the other person's every move. He had to thank the muscles in his body, which were stretched to the limit and ready to act at a moment's notice.

Suhartos shook his head as if he couldn't believe Ratio's reaction. He began to approach him slowly, never taking his eyes off him, like a predator stalking its prey.

Ratio swallowed with difficulty, trusting his feet not to fall when he couldn't look back and see what was in his way.

“Where are you going, little ambassador?” the man asked meekly, being a few meters away from Ratio now. 

The sweat made him feel cold.

“Seeing these fruitless discussions, I'll take my leave,” he managed to utter in a somewhat normal voice. Why was he so scared? He could defend himself perfectly well even being in Aventurine's body.

His back met something behind him, and when he took a quick look he realized it was a damn statue.

Move.

A small chuckle sounded from beside him. “You have such beautiful eyes. I'd like to see them up close.”

In the twilight sunlight, Aventurine's eyes almost reflected a warmth, giving the illusion that the violet of his eyes was deeper than usual.  Ratio was fascinated. In spite of himself, he breathed, “You really have beautiful eyes.”

Aventurine looked at him strangely, before turning his head away, not responding to his compliment. 

Had he said something wrong? 

His body was paralyzed. His muscles were so tense he couldn't move.

Do something.

Defend yourself.

“Did I forget to mention,” the man continued, advancing until they were nose to nose, "that if you want to get out of here alive, that's up to me. So why don't you lower yourself like a dog that you  already are with the IPC and do what I tell you to do? Hmm? What do you say? You do what I tell you to do, and you can get out of here safely. I will take no action against the IPC as long as they leave my planet."

Ratio was going to be sick. His stomach did a funny thing that he didn't like. He was going to throw up, and he was going to throw up all over that brainless man's feet. Just what he deserved.

A hand caressed his cheek. Almost tenderly.

That was the last straw. Thinking no more, his muscles acted in a second.

He conjured up a piece of chalk, and the feeling of a weapon against his fingers was never more pleasant than now. With all his might, he hurled it at the Lotis leader, who recoiled more from surprise than anything else.

“You-”

Ratio didn't give him time to finish. Another chalk appeared between his fingers, and he threw it straight into the man's cheek, who grunted in pain.

His eyes darted from side to side, and when he saw a window opened next to the desk, he didn't think twice and ran straight away. He began to run, knocking over art decorations and other objects in his path. It may not have been the nearest exit, but leaving through the door was too risky. One call from Suhartos, and the guards would come and arrest him. And no matter how much chalk he threw, he'd be assaulted.

When the other stood up and realized that Ratio was about to leave through the window, he pulled a revolver from his coat pocket.

Ah.

He didn't have time to take cover under the desk. He was only a few meters from the window, surely it would be all right? Adrenalin coursed through his veins, fear making him make mistakes. When he threw another piece of chalk at Suhartos, his wrist gesture was too short, and the chalk passed centimeters from the wrist of the man holding the revolver.

Oh, shit, he thought delicately.

“You're not getting away, you bastard!” The man pointed his gun at Ratio, ready to fire.

Ratio calculated the distance between himself and the window, frankly hesitating not to launch himself like a sack of potatoes. He didn't mind the fall. It would hurt less than a bullet in the back. Besides, the office was on the second floor, so it would be fine. Surely.

He was about to execute this maneuver when he tripped over something and when he looked down he saw it was the nook of the office carpet.

He turned for a second to the Lotis leader.

Time seemed to stand still as he watched the bullet leave the revolver and head straight for him. He'd seen this scene plenty of times in the cinema, when everything was in slow motion, when the protagonist was thinking back to their regrets, to their great love. He had always thought it was cliché. And yet, faced with the same situation, he had to accept that cinema was, for once, right.

But his mind was empty. His gaze was on the bullet, and on nothing else. He vaguely wondered whether this single bullet would be the weapon that killed Veritas Ratio.

Ratio closed his eyes, expecting the impact, but at the last moment he opened them again. Sparks appeared right in front of his nose, as the bullet fell in front of him and bounced several times on the ground before stopping. It had been stopped by an invisible wall.

“...What?”

The Lotisian gave himself only a second to wonder what had happened, before pointing again at Ratio. This time Ratio was able to react in time and jumped out of the window as if he were diving into a swimming pool.

The fall was brutal, and a searing pain appeared in his shoulder, while something hot ran down his temple.

His head ringing, he shook it and wasted no time in getting to his feet. He staggered for a few moments before starting to run away from the armed idiot.

“Come back here!” he heard above him.

Clenching his teeth against the pain, he continued to run as fast as he could, one hand on his dislocated shoulder. The other hand grabbed his phone, warning everyone that they had to get back to the ship as soon as possible to avoid injury or worse.

When everyone had been warned, and he was far enough away that he wouldn't be caught, Ratio allowed himself to slow down before stopping, catching his breath with a heavy gasp.

Now that he could think again, he frowned and began searching his pockets. He poked around, and would have found the whole situation totally stupid, had he not found what he was looking for in his left jacket pocket.

A green stone looked back at him. Ratio saw his reflection in the aventurine stone he held in his hands.

A smile played on his lips. “... Aventurine... You're quite a clever little man, aren't you?”

A grimace appeared on his face as he absent-mindedly moved his shoulder. As soon as he'd returned to the ship, he'd been treated, but even the most advanced IPC technology couldn't perform miracles. Ratio was lucky, though; he had a somewhat deep wound on his shoulder, as well as one on his forehead with other small scratches. The fact that he hadn't had time to calculate the consequences of falling from a window, he could have had broken bones or worse.

The IPC had preferred to leave Lotis for the time being, for everyone's safety. They were orbiting not far from the planet, awaiting new orders.

Now that he was alone in his room, resting on his bed, he could finally rest his muscles. Ratio played with the aventurine cornerstone in his hands, while Jade kept talking into his ear, being on the phone with her. She was obviously disappointed that he hadn't succeeded in such a mission, but Ratio didn't care. He wasn't going to risk his life or his dignity for the IPC.

He still refused to think about what had happened in the office and what might have happened if he hadn't reacted in time. A shiver ran down his spine and he closed his eyes with all his might.

The nausea seemed to return for a moment, and despite the fact that he'd already emptied all his stomach contents by the time he'd arrived in the ship, it seemed he hadn't finished.

Part of him felt humiliated. Humiliated that he hadn't reacted sooner, humiliated that he'd let such an asshole get so close to him. What would Aventurine have done in his place? Because yes, if there hadn't been a bodyswap, it would have been Aventurine facing this cruel and crazy man. Would he have done nothing, preferring the man to drop his guard and at the last moment draw his weapon? Or would he have tried to defend himself from the start, as Ratio had done? Or would he simply have endured what the idiot was about to do to him? Ratio wasn't sure of the answer.

In a way, he was almost relieved that he was the one who had to face the Lotisian. At least Aventurine hadn't had to witness this.

Although the uncomfortable feeling hadn't completely dissipated yet, with time, it would eventually evaporate to remain only, in the end, distant memories.

“... Are you even listening to me, child?”

Ratio opened his eyes again, sighing. His body was aching, his muscles were heavy, and excruciating pain tormented his mind. He was mentally and physically exhausted, and what had happened wasn't helping matters. It was a fatigue where sleeping wouldn't help.

He was weary, and didn't have the strength to play and act like someone else. With a whisper, he simply informed, “I'm here.”

He heard a huff, as if Jade couldn't believe her ears. “What's up with you? If you'd needed any more rest, you should have said so before you left on your mission.”

Ratio wanted to laugh because he knew that even if he had said something, it wouldn't have made any difference. Aventurine didn't have such a privilege, as he'd learned very quickly. In the end, he only had the strength to answer mechanically, “I tried to negotiate with him. It didn't work. He seems to have a grudge against us, and doesn't seem to want to be reasoned with.”

A stagnant silence could be heard on the other side of the phone. “... It's not like you to capitulate so quickly.” When he didn't answer, she resumed in a falsely gentle tone, “What's wrong, child? You know you can tell me anything, don't you?”

Ratio swallowed hard. He wanted to be left alone, to rest and be himself for a few moments. “Everything's fine.”

A sigh. “ Very well. In that case, I'll have to defer your failure to the other Stonehearts and we'll see what we can do. For Lotis, and for you. I'm afraid this failure may have consequences for you. But if you have an idea in the meantime, don't hesitate to implement it. And remember how I taught you to negotiate.”

He should feel worried, but all he could feel was how disconnected he felt from everything.

With a tone that sounded far more sincere than he'd ever heard from Jade, she concluded before hanging up, “Rest well, my child.”

Silence greeted him again, and he stared blankly at the ceiling. He listened to the people passing in front of his room, the murmurs that accompanied them. Time passed unnoticed.

He was drained. Emptied of all emotion. He'd never thought that acting as someone else, undergoing what the person should have undergone, would be so exhausting. But this was the harsh reality and Ratio found it hard to accept, as if he'd just swallowed a piece of wood and it remained lodged at the back of his throat.

A notification on his phone made him pause for a moment, and he took his eyes off the ceiling to stare at the screen. It took some time before his vision could read and understand what he was seeing.

Ratio (Gambler): Hey, Ratio? I hope I'm not disturbing you. I haven't heard from you all day. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. But if you don't want to talk to me, I totally understand :)

Pressing his fingers to his forehead to make the headache go away, he looked at Aventurine's message. How could this man act so innocently after all he'd been through?

Acting without thinking, he called him while straightening up on the bed, and putting the phone to his ear. Within seconds, he heard a voice that allowed him to relax, at last.

“Ratio? It's not that I don't like you calling, but I have to admit you're worrying me right now. It's rare that you call.”

He heard an awkward chuckle. Aventurine probably didn't know how to react. Ratio savored the sound for a few moments before answering.

“Are you doing anything? I do not wish to distract you from your duties if you are.”

“What? No. Of course you're not distracting me!”

Ratio concentrated on his fingers, seeing that there was still some blood near his nails.  After a brief hesitation, he told Aventurine everything that had happened, whether it was his failure to negotiate, or the advances the Lotisian had made to him. Aventurine listened without interruption, even when Ratio made no secret of his growing tiredness. When he had finished talking, complaining (for that was the impression he gave), Aventurine spoke up, “Has Jade contacted you yet?”

“Mhh, yes. She wasn't really satisfied.”

“Yeah, I can imagine.  But, Ratio? It's okay. You did the best you could. Really, the fact that you didn't manage to do something for the IPC isn't the end of the world. Yes, I might get a reprimand, but that's it! So there's no need to make a big deal about it, I assure you.”

Ratio wasn't convinced. Part of his mind was telling him that Aventurine was frustrated that Ratio couldn't even handle a simple negotiation, and that he was trying to hide it as best he could. After all, Aventurine would never make his displeasure known, would he? He'd swallow it by saying nothing, believing that was what he deserved.

“...Would you have any advice on how to try to restore the situation as best we can? I'm afraid my mind can no longer form a coherent thought to create a possible plan.”

“It wouldn't do any good honestly. I can't really give you any advice... When I do this kind of mission, I tend to make... somewhat rash and dangerous decisions. I can't ask you to do the same."

“I see,” he finally replied.

“I'm sorry. I'm sure that's not what you wanted to hear.”

Ratio shook his head, even though Aventurine couldn't see it. At least he'd tried, hadn't he?

When the silence dragged on a little too long, he heard Aventurine sigh. “... If I can at least recommend something, it's to rest a little, okay? You sound tired, doc.”

Damn. If even the gambler was giving him advice on wellbeing, Ratio had really hit rock bottom. He needed to pull himself together, and not worry the others for nothing.

Unable to formulate his gratitude in a few sentences, he simply said sincerely, “Thank you, Aventurine.”

Aventurine must have sensed what he meant because he replied, a smile in his voice, “No problem, Ratio.”

They hung up quickly after that, probably because Aventurine had things to do and Ratio was too tired to keep the conversation going. Putting his phone down, on the small table beside the bed, Ratio lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. Maybe his mind would be clearer, if he was rested and didn't feel like a garment that had been put through the washing machine.

A knock at his bedroom door roused him from sleep, and still not fully awake, he simply rolled onto his side and ignored the untimely noises on the other side of the door. Surely there was nothing urgent, only news from Jade about the decision the other Stonehearts had made in the face of his failure. That could wait a few more hours.

His mind became calmer as he drifted off to sleep again, but a new knock suddenly jolted him awake. He opened his eyes and glared at the door. Maybe if he showed his displeasure, the person would be ashamed of having disturbed him and leave. How the person could see his glare when there was a door between them, he didn't know, but it wasn't his problem.

Ratio almost wrapped himself further in the blankets to block out all the noise when he heard a muffled familiar voice.

“... I know you don't want to see me, but open the door dammit! It's important.”

He calculated the pros and cons of being disturbed, but as much as he wanted more than anything to be left alone for a few moments longer, he knew deep down that ignoring trouble wouldn't make it go away forever. And he couldn't let Aventurine deal with the mess he'd created.

With a deep sigh, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, tried to fix his hair quickly, and stood up before opening the door. The light from the corridor dazzled him for a moment, and he had to close his eyes before he could meet Topaz's curious gaze.

Topaz looked him over from head to toe, examining him from every angle, before blurting out without preamble. “... You look horrible.”

“Thanks, I appreciate you coming all this way to tell me that,” he replied ironically. He had no time for Topaz and even less time for her insults. If she'd come to make fun of him, she could leave as quickly as she'd arrived.

“I didn't mean it like that, and you know it,” Topaz fidgeted in front of him, suddenly uncomfortable. “Can I come in?”

Aeons, give me patience, I implore you.

With some difficulty, he finally opened the door wide, and Topaz did not hesitate to enter. Numby trotted along behind her, unperturbed by what was going on around them. She quickly surveyed the room, no doubt noticing the unmade bed before pulling up a chair. To appear polite, he did the same. 

“I was in the neighborhood when Jade contacted us. I offered to try reasoning with the Lotisians.”

“He's beyond reasoning. He just hates the IPC.”

Topaz scratched the back of her neck, thinking. “Have you tried talking to him? To understand where this hatred came from?”

Ratio pinched his nose. She was doing everything she could to help; he didn't need to get upset. She seemed to be a little naive, but still, when someone says they hate something, it's unlikely to make them see reason.“Yes, Topaz. I've tried it. It's not working. He preferred to make inappropriate advances.”

“Oh. But did you try to show evidence that the IPC can improve living conditions on planets?”

“No. He was in such a hurry to try to block my exit that I didn't have time.”

“And did-”

“No, Topaz! Do you hear what I'm saying to you?” He growled, frustrated that the young woman obviously didn't understand what had happened. Numby, who was chewing on something golden, stopped abruptly, their head turning towards him. “Is this planet really important to the IPC? It's not worth the risk. The man's crazy and I'd rather not see him again once in my life, okay?”

“So what, you're giving up?” Topaz frowned. “That easily?”

Why couldn't she understand what he was saying? No, no she was simply riveted to her work, and nothing mattered to her anymore except impressing her colleagues. 

He felt his jaw clench hard. “Do what you want,” he finally said, feeling the tension leave his body. There was no point in getting angry at such a person. “Do whatever you want, if you won't even listen to me. Just leave me out of it, it doesn't concern me anymore.”

The young woman opened her mouth several times without a sound coming out. After a moment she put her weight on her elbows to examine him more closely. “...I know we don't always get along... But if you have issues, you can share and talk to me."

Ratio scoffed. He remembered perfectly their last conversation and how she had reacted when he had been insulted. And now she was trying to be sympathetic?  Did she think she had the right to act as she pleased with him?

In a clipped tone, he replied coldly, “I very much appreciate your concern. But it's not necessary.” His headache returned with a vengeance, drumming his temples. He was so tired.

He heard a sigh beside him, “Look, I know you're still mad about last time, and I'm sorry, okay? I gave you some space to process what happened. And it allowed me to question myself.” She bit her lips, debating what to say. “I realized how hard it must have been for you to deal with all that hatred within the Corporation. I'm sorry, I should have realized it sooner. It was right in front of my face, but I chose to ignore it believing that it didn't bother you.”

Ratio lowered his eyes. She was finally apologizing, but he didn't feel any satisfaction. And for good reason, this apology shouldn't be heard by him but by Aventurine, who had a right to hear what she had to say.

Mistaking his silence for anger, she continued, “I... I didn't treat you like a colleague treating another colleague, either. I really did behave like an idiot, and I understand why you won't accept my apology. But I want you to know that I'm going to make it up to you. I won't keep quiet about your treatment by other employees, I'll defend you. Even if it's not much compared to what you've endured, I hope it will at least make your life easier.”

He squeezed his eyes so tightly that phosphenes appeared in his field of vision.

I'm not the one you should be apologizing to.

“... I'm sorry. I'll try to restore the situation on Lotis and defend your case against the other Stonehearts. You don't deserve to be demoted.”

Why did she keep apologizing to him?

He felt her gaze before she rose, and took Numby in her arms. He sat there, unsure what to do as she approached the door to leave.

In a strangled voice, he managed to blurt out, “Wait.”

“...What?”

“I...” He glanced over his shoulder, watching her for a few moments before finally coming to a decision. He didn't deserve this excuse; Aventurine would need it more than him anyway. And if he didn't say anything, this apology would end up being lost in people's minds without changing anything. Topaz's gaze was curious mixed with hidden concern.

“It's not me you should be apologizing to.”

Ratio tensed despite himself, while Topaz frowned, confusion clear on her face.

“You should apologize to Aventurine,” he explained further. “I'm not the one who had to endure the looks of others, their judgment.”

Topaz laughed nervously, squeezing Numby, who let out a small cry of discomfort. “I'm not sure I understand you right now.”

“I'm not him.” At Topaz's skeptical, bewildered look, he added, “I'm Ratio. I don't know what happened and I'm still searching today, but I find myself in this body... So, you don't have to apologize to me.”

“Hah?”

Ratio let Topaz digest his words. After all, it must have been unthinkable what he'd just said. Surely she had to think whether it was a joke or not, if Aventurine was making fun of her. He, too, would find it hard to believe. Ratio was a man of logic, who relied on facts to explain something. And yet, their situation was inexplicable, illogical.

He heard footsteps approaching him, as the young woman came to sit beside him again. She watched him intently, watching his every move as if she were trying to find Ratio in Aventurine.

Her mouth suddenly made an o-shape of astonishment. “Ooooh... that explains everything.”

“What do you mean?” He arched an eyebrow.

“I was wondering why you weren't wearing your glasses anymore, or your hat.” She seemed totally fascinated now, as if she'd just solved the greatest mystery of all time. “Aventurine never goes on a mission without these two accessories. It hid him, so he told me. Ah! This explains so much!”

“... He didn't tell me any of that.”

She suddenly exclaimed in excitement “Wait, wait, wait. If you're in Aventurine's body... Does that mean he's... In your body?”

Letting out a sigh, he nodded. Topaz put a hand over her mouth, restraining herself from laughing.

“This is by no means an amusing situation,” he said firmly. “It's been a real exhausting headache to act and think like this logic-deprived gambler.”

“I imagine.”

“Do you understand now why I insist you don't apologize to me? He deserves to hear it after all he's been put through. Did you know that he considered you a genuine friend, and really cared about this friendship?”

Topaz looked away, her face filled with shame. She had to understand that even if she apologized, it wouldn't erase anything she'd done to Aventurine, which was to say, nothing. She had done nothing to defend or support him.

Ratio watched her stroke Numby, and whether it was to comfort herself or the creature, he didn't know. “When I get back to Pier Point, I'm going to contact him, and apologize properly. I promise.” She paused. “So, it was you who... got mad at everyone?"

“...Yes.”

“After what happened, I questioned myself a lot. Now that I think about it, Aventurine didn't say anything, didn't defend himself. But now I understand that if he had said something, it would have made things more complicated. So it was not because he was used to it. It's really awful.”

“It's never too late to realize your mistakes and try to fix them,” he said as best he could. He sincerely hoped Topaz would take steps to apologize. Aventurine deserved to have a friend in his life who could defend him, and be in his life without judgment.

She nodded with determination. And when her phone rang and she had to leave, she didn't forget to tell him that she was going to try and negotiate with the other Stonehearts so that Aventurine wouldn't suffer any serious consequences for what had happened on Lotis. She gave him a somewhat shaky but honest smile, which Ratio answered with a nod before she left.

What a disaster this mission had been. Lotis, that cursed planet, may have created bad memories for him that he'll find hard to forget, but it also brought good for Aventurine. That's what he hoped, because he had to look on the bright side, didn't he? 

The rest was now in Topaz's hands.

Ratio kept to himself for the rest of the week. He didn't want to be bothered by idiots, let alone have to argue with such people.  He received no news from Topaz, who was still busy with Lotis. He didn't try to contact her either, but sincerely hoped she'd have better luck and wouldn't receive any strange advances from the planet's leader.

He'd had to write a totally detailed report on what had happened on Lotis, then send it to Jade to decide on his future. This hadn't bothered him too much, he was used to doing paperwork, but when it came to describing what the Lotisian had proposed so that he could leave alive, he had to put down the tablet several times, and try to reign in his emotions. With perseverance and many pauses, he managed to finish in time.

He and his crew stayed in orbit around the planet, to, in Jade's words, “help Topaz if necessary”, and while he felt like grumbling, he hadn't. He hadn't succeeded in this mission, he could at least stay in one place and obey orders.

It was only a few days later that Topaz reappeared on his doorstep, a smile on her face. When he opened the door, she announced without preamble, visibly excited, “Good news. Most of the Stonehearts have come together to judge what happened, and they've come to the conclusion that you couldn't have done better. Your detailed report helped the others to make this decision. So there will be no consequences for you.”

“ Was it really as simple as that?” he muttered to himself, crossing his arms. He would have thought the IPC would have put more obstacles in his way than necessary. “Did you manage to negotiate with that... idiot?” he asked a few seconds later. Now that he didn't have to hide and act like someone he wasn't, a weight seemed to have been lifted from his shoulders. It felt good to act naturally, not to think every second about whether he'd acted correctly or not.

Fortunately, he hadn't made a career out of acting, which would have been a poor result. 

Topaz invited herself into his room as if she were at home, before turning to him, shoulders slumping slightly. “You were right. That man really is a hopeless case. I couldn't get anything out of him, he simply refused the IPC's help.” She shrugged. “Jade said at the meeting that the planet could have helped us collect natural resources, but it wasn't the richest planet. It's not a great loss for the Corporation.”

So it was all for nothing? They'd made such a fuss about this damned planet, only to abandon it? All because there weren't many precious resources that could be sold on the market at exorbitant prices. The IPC was really all about money.

“All IPC forces will be withdrawn from the planet within the next few systems hours,” Topaz continued, ignoring the thoughts running around Ratio's head. “At least we won't have to deal with this guy anymore, which is a good thing for us, I suppose.”

“That much is true."

“Are you heading back to Pier Point now?” she asked.

“ I am. Aventurine told me there was some kind of event that I should be expecting... I'm already looking forward to it,” he said ironically.

She let out a sympathetic chuckle, “Haha I can imagine. As for me, I still have to finish my business here but I'll be back later. And as soon as I get home, I'm off to see you and Aventurine, okay?”

“Very well. I'm counting on you in that case.”

Nodding, she disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.

As he heard the door close, he moved to the window, observing the verdant planet stretching out before him. This planet was getting away from the grip of the IPC, but that was probably for the best.

Now that he'd had an honest talk with Topaz, he could only hope that the young woman would actually do her part, and apologize to Aventurine directly.

A notification appeared on his phone, and he turned on the screen to read its contents.

Jade: Aventurine. I'm sure Topaz has already told you, but no action has been taken against you. You can thank Topaz for defending you in front of the others. Without her, things might have been very different. I'm glad to see you're starting to get on well together and that this is reflected at work. You're very lucky, but that's because She decided it that way.  So please be aware that your luck might one day end up buried, like a certain other thing.

He arched an eyebrow. He wasn't sure he understood what Jade was talking about. 

And why did all Stonehearts have to speak in riddles anyway, instead of saying things straight out? It was really annoying. 

Ratio put his phone back in his pocket, wondering how much longer he had to put up with the Stonehearts. 

Chapter Text

"Your order, sir." 

"Ah, thank you." Aventurine picked up his coffee, a satisfying warmth enveloping his hands. He left a few credits on the counter before turning and walking out. 

It was a particularly beautiful day in Pier Point, and while it wouldn't normally have changed his plans, with everything that had happened lately, he felt he needed to recharge his batteries and relax. 

His plan for the day was simple enough; just try to enjoy himself and not think about anything in particular. A rather difficult thing for him to do, though. After all, he had climbed the IPC ladder so quickly because he was an overthinker. 

His mind might have been his greatest ally, but not today or recently. 

Aventurine looked up at the sky, admiring its clarity, which was especially rare at Pier Point because of the pollution. The pastel blue reminded him of the sky over Sigonia when it wasn't filled with auroras. It made him nostalgic. 

He continued to stroll through the streets, chasing his thoughts away. He didn't want to dwell on the past and fail at his goal for the day, which was literally to relax. 

He walked into Ratio's apartment, and as he sat down in the living room, he was struck by how empty of life it was. 

He had missed the little creatures he had adopted after his visit to the Herta Space Station. But if he wished to see them, he'd have to go to his own apartment, and that would mean seeing Ratio... which was the last thing he wanted to do when he would have preferred to relax. 

Not that Ratio scared him or stressed him out, it was just… that Aventurine needed some space after the debacle of the last few weeks. He was still ashamed of his behavior and didn't dare look Ratio in the eye anymore. 

And with what had happened to Ratio on Lotis, he had the impression that Ratio also needed space and quiet to meditate or do who knew what, alone. 

What would happen when they would both get their bodies back? With everything they'd been through in each other's bodies, everything they'd learned from each other, Aventurine found it hard to believe that their relationship would remain the same.

But would their relationship evolve for better or worse? Would tensions eventually drive them apart? 

His phone, sitting on the table nearby, illuminated, indicating a new message. Why was he being interrupted while he was thinking?

…

Wait. Hadn't he said earlier that today was not a day to get stuck in his thoughts? And what had he been doing for the past few hours? 

With a grunt to himself, Aventurine jumped at the distraction, but when his eyes saw that it was an e-mail, he was almost tempted not to open it and do something else. It was the weekend, after all, and work could wait. 

But something in the back of his mind forced him to open the email and read its contents. 

From: [email protected]

TO: [email protected] 

Subject: Summons to appear in court on X/X 

According to the provisions of Article 222-13 of the Pier Point Criminal Code, 

Notify to: 

Mr. Veritas Ratio
Born on X/X/X in VERITAS PRIME (Pier Point System) 
Residing in: Pier Point
Profession: Researcher and Professor at Veritas Prime University and for the Intelligentsia Guild,

That he is accused of having committed the following offense after the investigation: 

Name of offense: Physical Assault Causing Non-Permanent Mutilation of Plaintiff David J. 

That he must appear at the hearing of the 
Pier Point Justice Court 
225 Louis Fleming Avenue 
PIER POINT 

On XX/XX/XX at 2:00 p.m. system time

That this official report, a copy of which has been mailed to him, is equivalent to a summons to appear in person; 

That he is entitled to be assisted by a legal counsel of his own choice. In this case, it is up to him to make his request to the General Office as soon as possible, preferably within 48 hours. 

Aventurine reread the contents, his mind struggling to understand what exactly was going on. David. Why did that name sound so familiar? Had he heard it somewhere before, or did he know someone named David? 

… David, Not long ago, you were attending Doctor Veritas Ratio's classes. I know what happened. If you don't press charges, you'll receive 300,000 credits in your bank account. Do not tell anyone. Enclosed you'll find 100,000 credits to prove my good faith… 

He suddenly rose from his seat, his eyes glued to the phone and the name of the so-called victim, memories flooding back.

How could he have forgotten this? Shit, so much had happened that it had completely slipped his mind! 

This summons would soon be published and everyone would know about it, including Ratio. 

Shit, shit, shit. 

What should he do? How was this even possible? 

Was the guy really that stupid to go to court, or did he have a grudge against Ratio in particular? It didn't make any sense. 

Frozen, he stood there staring at the summons, having no idea how he could have screwed up so badly. Part of him grimly wondered where his luck had gone. Had he relied on Her too much and had She finally had enough of his bullshit and always had to fix it for him? Had She finally given up on him? 

His eyes hurt from not blinking, but he still couldn't move. When the screen went dark, and when it lit up again with new notifications, he didn't have the strength to move, to pick it up with both hands and start looking, to start thinking, to start planning. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the sun was moving, a sign that time was flowing around him, while he seemed to be stuck somewhere, unable to escape. 

A sharp knock on the door jolted him out of his trance. He finally took his eyes off the phone but still didn't move, fear finally taking over all his thoughts. Was that Ratio behind the door, angry and more than a little disappointed with Aventurine? Surely he must have found out by now what had happened. And if he hadn't yet, he would soon, that was for sure. 

There was no point in hiding anymore. He had done his best to avoid such a catastrophe, but he had failed. 

As the knocking continued relentlessly, he forced himself to swallow and move. Fear coursed through his veins and a lump formed in his stomach, but he kept walking until he reached the door. The door shook from the force of the blows, showing just how angry the person behind it was. 

He put his hand on the doorknob, took a deep breath, and opened it. 

As he'd suspected, Ratio was standing there, an eternal frown on his face, but his eyes reflected incomprehension this time. Aventurine offered him a trembling smile, but Ratio stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind him before he could open his mouth. 

Without a word, he held his phone in front of Aventurine, who had no choice but to read what was on the screen. His heart dropped like a brick as he scanned the few lines. 

LIVE: GENIUS DR. RATIO, PROFESSOR AT VERITAS PRIME UNIVERSITY, ACCUSED OF PHYSICAL AGGRESSION AGAINST A STUDENT 

Shocked, that's what the world of education will say today when they hear the latest news. Only yesterday, one of the University's renowned professors was extolling the virtues of Veritas Ratio and how his research into kinetic energy had led to great advances in the world of science. But now we learn that the professor physically assaulted a student during one of his lectures. Several witnesses saw what happened and gave us their take on the situation...

... 

"...Now I want an explanation of what really happened." 

Aventurine turned his gaze to Ratio, who looked at him angrily. Ratio was calm, but only in appearance. Aventurine could see it in his tensed muscles, clenched jaw, and tight fists.

When Ratio saw that Aventurine was staring at him, he added in an irritated tone, "Tell me, right now." 

"I-" He looked away. "I may have made a mistake." 

"A mistake? Explain." 

He winced, not knowing how to elaborate. "I was trying to imitate you, you know? I know you throw chalk at the students, so why shouldn't I do the same?" Aventurine smiled nervously. Ratio wasn't impressed. "Maybe I threw the chalk a little too hard and one of the students got hurt. He said... He said he would press charges." 

"And?" Fuck, could Ratio read his mind or what? How did he know that this wasn't the end? 

Scratching his neck, he stared down at his feet, unable to bear the disappointment in Ratio's gaze. "I just tried to fix the situation, okay?! Maybe I sent him some money anonymously and maybe I threatened him a little, hehe... But as you can see, it didn't work!" 

He heard Ratio take a deep breath and dared to look in his direction to see that his face was simply impassive. Arg, that was even worse than seeing his disappointment or anger. "Do you think for a moment before you make decisions?" 

Aventurine opened his mouth, but Ratio didn't even give him time to answer. "Don't answer that question," he snapped in exasperation. Was he angry with himself for asking such a question, or was he angry with Aventurine? "Tell me who this student is instead. It'll be more productive." 

"Oh. Uh, some David something. The one I said was weird." 

Ratio crossed his arms, and Aventurine sensed that his gaze was no longer on him. He sighed in relief, although it didn't help the mess he and Ratio had gotten themselves into. When he'd decided to threaten the student, he'd thought it was the best solution. Ratio didn't know about it, the student had money to get treatment if it was necessary, and everyone was happy. But as with everything that had happened recently, nothing could be that simple. 

"This student is quite well known on campus," Ratio's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "And when I say well known... That's not necessarily a good thing for him. He's often looking for trouble with professors, and I haven't been spared that either." 

"Oh. But still-"

Ratio glared at him. "Let me finish. I'm not sure what this student is trying to accomplish, but he was always looking for trouble to get me so upset that I would be forced to throw chalk at him and hurt him. It would eventually allow him to press charges and create a stain on my teaching life at best, and ruin my career at worst.  I knew what he was trying to do, and I never played along." His shoulders slumped, the tension leaving his body. For now. "You couldn't have guessed if you didn't know. Of course, you wanted to imitate me. Of course, you threw chalk at him so he could say he was hurt." 

What was he trying to say? That he hadn't hurt the student? But who would believe him in the end? He was just Aventurine, an Avgin and a slave, looking for a bet that would finally lead to his downfall. 

Finally, he sat down on the chair next to him. How could he solve this situation? Even with Ratio's help, he wasn't sure if he could convince anyone that he hadn't done anything wrong. 

A snap of fingers startled him, and he looked up at Ratio, who was not hiding his frustration. Aventurine muttered in a low voice, "It's all very well to tell me all this, but who will believe me in the end? The word of a student versus the word of an Avgin. The choice's easy, haha." 

"Why don't you do some thinking right now?" muttered Ratio, as if he couldn't believe what was happening. Well, Aventurine couldn't believe it either. "You are me right now. You threw the chalk while you were me. And where did you do that?" 

Aventurine felt like an idiot. Ratio was exaggerating every word, as if he didn't understand the language. With a pout, he said, "I did it... in a classroom! In front of the students! Who can witness and testify and explain what really happened!"

"Absolutely. 5 points. Well, I'm sure they've talked to this student and learned things about him. I'm sure they know if he was really injured or if his wound was bleeding. If it didn't bleed or he didn't have a bruise, then his accusation is completely false." 

Aventurine clearly remembered not seeing blood. It might have seemed like an insignificant detail at the time, but it proved its importance today. Still, there was a dark spot. Ratio must have read his mind, because he said, "...your note you sent," he rolled his eyes, "please tell me that nothing you wrote or sent can be traced back to you or me." 

Shaking his head, he confirmed, "No, no. Nothing like that. It was just an anonymous e-mail." Ratio opened his mouth, but he cut him off, "Huh-huh, let me finish. I set up an e-mail address for a supposed new IPC employee who doesn't exist, on a computer in the university library. If they do any research, they'll know that this employee doesn't exist, but they won't be able to tell who set up such an e-mail address." 

"I see. You're not that stupid." 

Aventurine scoffed for a moment. But was it that easy to solve the situation? If he had told Ratio about the situation earlier, wouldn't he have panicked like he did?  But it had never occurred to him to ask someone else for help, because he was used to doing everything on his own. Besides, it hadn't ended that badly, had it? The proof was that Ratio was standing in front of him, maybe judging him on his intelligence, but that was all. 

He thought for a few seconds, biting his lips before he dared to ask. "Tell me, are you angry with me?" 

There was a stagnant pause, as if Ratio had to think to answer as best he could, before he said, "Angry? No, I'm not angry. Disappointed, yes. Disappointed that you didn't think it was okay to tell me what happened. Disappointed that you didn't come to me for help." 

"I'm sorry." 

"Don't be," Ratio insisted firmly. "We'll collect the students' testimonies and present them with the evidence. And from there we'll see what happens." 

"I never would have taken you for the optimistic type." 

Ratio scowled. "It's not optimism. It's just deduction based on evidence." 

Well, to Aventurine it was still optimism. But he didn't want to say anything, to avoid the risk of Ratio getting really mad. 

Gathering the evidence went quite smoothly, which surprised Aventurine. He honestly didn't think it would be that easy. To make things even easier, the students had noticed the same things he had. And on top of that, several of them claimed to have heard David say that he had been acting and had not been hurt in any way. Now that they had proof that Aventurine hadn't harmed the student at all, the lump in his stomach that had been there since he'd received the summons began to subside. 

They'd spent the last few days doing just that, although Ratio hadn't really been there to help. However, once Aventurine had managed to get the information from the students, Ratio would organize each testimony into specific files, leaving nothing to chance. 

It was evening now, both were exhausted from their work, and the little fur balls he'd picked up on the Space Station were all piled up on his lap, sleeping peacefully while Ratio prepared dinner. 

The sound of food cooking on the crackling stove and the smell of spices in the kitchen created a completely warm and cozy atmosphere. Aventurine wanted to enjoy this even more, but like all good things, it had to come to an end. 

Someone knocked at the door. 

Aventurine grunted openly and put a dramatic hand to his forehead. "Oh, really, can't we have a quiet evening now? What if we ignore them?" 

Ratio put his spatula down on the work table before heading for the door. "This could be important. Don't make any noise, you're not supposed to be here." 

"I know!" He murmured loudly. 

The door opened and he vaguely heard two voices speaking, recognizing Ratio but not the other. He couldn't see who it was from where he was, but his curiosity was piqued. Too bad the cats were sleeping peacefully on his lap, otherwise he would have approached them quietly. 

Ratio quickly returned with... Oh shit. Shit. Damn it. 

How was he supposed to act now? 

Topaz's eyes landed on Aventurine, and he tensed like a bow ready to shoot an arrow. "Oh. Aventurine!" She turned to Ratio, "I didn't know Dr. Ratio was in your house!" 

Ratio, the traitor, didn't even look at him with pity, didn't even come to help, no. He preferred to ignore what was going on around him and return to his cursed frying pan. 

Aventurine gagged for a moment, then uttered a high-pitched "Miss Topaz" that was not at all what Ratio would have said. Numby, who had quietly followed Topaz so far, approached Aventurine curiously, sniffing the little critters on his lap. 

Topaz approached him and looked back at the cats. "Oh my God! What is that, it's so cute!" 

"They're cats," he supplied with all the knowledge in the world. 

She frowned and started to stare at Aventurine with a strange look he'd never seen on her before. Not knowing what to do, he did the same. 

The two watched each other. 

Numby let out a strange little cry. 

Both continued to look at each other.

Ratio let out a why-am-I-with-idiots sigh. 

"...What?" 

Topaz held back for a few more moments before bursting out laughing so suddenly that he looked at her, stunned. 

"What?" he repeated again. 

"Hahaha, sorry. It's just... It's just weird to see you like this, Aventurine." 

"What do you mean... Huh? What? I'm not..." 

Ratio came over at that moment and helped him. There was an amused gleam in his eyes, and Aventurine immediately scoffed. "Gambler. I talked to Miss Topaz when I was on Lotis. It's possible I revealed my true identity and our current problem. " 

Topaz rubbed her eyes, wiping away tears of laughter. "It was just too tempting to see you trying to act like Ratio. Ah, I won't forget this anytime soon." 

Aventurine was outraged. Not only had Ratio told Topaz what was going on, but he hadn't warned him. Who was supposed to be the idiot between the two of them, honestly? He whined, "Please tell me you didn't tell more people."

"No. I was forced to say it because what she told me was none of my business." He looked steadily at Topaz, who was scratching her neck nervously. 

Aventurine turned his gaze to her. 

"Ah, uh, yes." 

"Something I need to hear? Me specifically?" When there was no reply, he added, "Well, I am all ears, Topaz." 

The young woman cleared her throat, uncomfortable for some reason. "Is there somewhere we can talk?" 

"Huh. Sure." 

He glanced at Ratio, but he was busy (pretending to be) cooking the vegetables. 

The cats dug its claws into his pants when he tried to move them, and it took a few minutes to get them on the floor. They sulked, a few tears falling from their big eyes.

Feeling strangely nervous, he motioned for Topaz to follow him, and together they went into his room. Aventurine sat down on the bed without a moment's hesitation, and Topaz did the same. 

"So..." He trailed off when the silence became a little too long. 

Topaz played with a lock of her hair. She was nervous, Aventurine could tell. That made him even more curious. 

She let out a laugh, "Okay. Okay. It's more complicated than I thought." She looked down at the ground, avoiding his gaze. "I... Uh. Ratio has been a great help in making me really aware of what's going on around me. I might have realized a few things, thanks to him." 

"Okay?" He didn't know what to say here, or how it concerned him. He frowned. 

"I'd like to... I want to apologize for the way I've treated you since we met." 

"Why?" 

"Why, what?" It was the young woman's turn to be confused. "I want to apologize for the way I have treated you, for the way I have never taken you seriously, or for the way I have simply ignored the discrimination you have suffered, sometimes in front of me. I never defended you in public or between us. I've been a terrible friend, and Ratio tells me that you valued our friendship... Simple forgiveness won't be enough to redeem me, I know. But now that I've realized a few things, I won't just sit back and do nothing. So when you've sorted out your body issues-" she waved her hands in front of him, "-get ready for some changes. And for good ones!" 

He could see in her eyes how sincere she was. And that was one of the reasons why his confusion was growing by the minute. He scratched his neck in embarrassment, "I'm not sure why you're apologizing, Topaz. I mean, you didn't do anything wrong? Unless you insulted Ratio, but still..." 

She blinked. "Don't you realize what a jerk I've been to you?" 

"Not at all." He shook his head. Why wouldn't she understand? "Yes, as Ratio told you, I value this friendship between us because you're one of the only people who respect me, looks at me honestly and sees who I am. You never insult me, even when I annoy you terribly. So, no, I don't think you need to apologize." 

Topaz clenched her fists, her eyes hardening, "Are you listening to yourself? I just did the bare minimum and you call this friendship?" She pulled herself together and continued in a softer voice, "Aventurine, you deserve to hear my apology, which should have come much sooner. I apologize because I consider you a friend. So let me treat you as a true friend, not just as a colleague who tolerates another colleague."

Aventurine opened his mouth several times, but nothing came out. No matter how many times she explained her position, he still didn't understand. He couldn't understand why she wanted to apologize to him so badly. He didn't deserve an apology anyway; if someone behaved badly towards him, it was surely because he asked for it, right? And yet, it was different with her. He could annoy her, deceive her, push all the wrong buttons to make her lose her temper, and she'd still treat him like a human being. Apart from Ratio, she was one of the only ones who was that friendly with him. 

"...Why is everyone apologizing to me? First Ratio and now you," he muttered, clearly confused. 

Almost affectionately, Topaz said, "Maybe it's because we realized you deserved to be treated like someone we cared about. Now shut up and accept my apology." 

"Okay, okay..." 

There was a flicker of something in Topaz's eyes, and he looked away for fear of what it was. He stood and offered his hand to the young woman, who took it willingly. They returned to the kitchen, where Ratio had finished preparing food and three plates were already on the table, ready to be devoured. When he heard them arrive, Ratio turned and examined them. 

"I take it all is well?" he asked, looking at Topaz but addressing the question to Aventurine. 

He nodded, "Of course, my dear doctor. You needn't have worried; I had no intention of harming Topaz." 

A huff before Ratio turned his gaze to Topaz. "Stay for dinner. I've made enough for three." 

"Sure, why not." 

As they took their places at the table, Numby came to harass them in turn, running between their legs and trying to play with the cats. But the cats were far too afraid of such a creature, preferring to hide in their soft shells. 

Aventurine looked fondly at Ratio and then at Topaz. 

Even if he didn't understand their reasons for wanting to apologize,  he wondered when his heart had become so light. 

Chapter Text

"Are you listening, sir?"

Aventurine looked up from where he'd been staring at some dust for at least ten minutes, his cheek pressed against his hand. He didn't hide his boredom and lack of enthusiasm at the idea of being here, listening to a boring lecture between several old researchers who smelled of decrepitude, showing that they spent more time in their books than in the bathroom.

"I'm all ears. I'm fascinated by what you're saying." The old man who had addressed him surely didn't understand the irony, for he smiled self-satisfied before continuing his monologue.

Looking around, he noticed that most of the people were listening attentively. Only he found it boring, it seemed. From what he had heard (that is, five minutes before he dozed off), there had been a breakthrough in the field of artificial intelligence. A few researchers had gotten together and tried to form a partnership with the Intellitrons to do... something.

Nothing Aventurine was interested in.

He put his hand over his mouth when he had to yawn, but no one paid any attention to him, everyone was glued to the lips of the guy who was talking.

All he wanted to do was go home and play with the little cats he'd grown so fond of. Those little creatures were like cuddly toys, and no matter what they did, his heart felt like it was getting softer.

Ratio was lucky to be able to see and care for them every day. And even if he didn't say anything, Aventurine knew that the cats had won Ratio's heart...

When he wasn't busy, Ratio took the time to send him at least one photo a day of them, which always made him smile.

Lately, though, he hadn't really had time, with Aventurine's trial and all. A few days ago, he'd gone to the court and brought back the evidence he and Ratio had gathered, thanks mainly to the students. The student who had accused him might have grumbled loudly, but the judges saw the evidence that Aventurine hadn't hurt anyone during a lesson.

And even if the other had wanted to talk about the little note Aventurine had sent (when he'd panicked), he couldn't prove anything without evidence. Though it could have taken a very different turn, this story had ended very well.

All because Aventurine had tried too hard to imitate Ratio...

His phone suddenly vibrated, bringing him back to the present. Frowning, he looked at the screen to see who was calling.

Ah.

Aventurine rose from his seat. He tried to hide his joy as he informed the old-timers at the conference, "If you'll excuse me, I have an important call to take. Don't forget to email me the documents!"

And in a matter of seconds, he was out in the hallway, breathing in fresh air instead of the smell of old people.

Now there was nothing to keep him from his new problem, which lay in his hands and continued to vibrate, demanding his attention. Aventurine bit his nails, sighed, and picked up the phone.

"Hello, Mother."

The now familiar voice of Ratio's mother replied warmly, "How are you today, Veritas?"

"I'm fine, thank you." He tried to be cordial, but all he could remember was the conversation with Ratio and what the latter had revealed about his childhood.

"When my parents realized I'd given up on following the same path as them, let's just say they didn't really appreciate it. As they were disappointed in their own son, they didn't really care for me anymore. And when I was finally able to leave the family home, I was relieved. Relieved to no longer be subjected to their heavy gaze of disappointment. But above all, I was relieved not to have to listen to their evening conversations when they thought I was asleep, when they wondered what they could have done to have such a son."

 "Tell me, have you had time to think about our last conversation?" she asked lovingly. As if she really cared about Ratio. How Aventurine hadn't been able to see past what she wanted to show, he had no idea. But now that he knew more, it was obvious that it was all wrong.

"Is that why you called me?" He spat, not having time to swallow his words and just shut up.

"Your father and I only care about you. We only want the best for our son."

"Oh, really?" He chuckled. He couldn't help it. "I don't remember you ever, ever worrying about me." Damn, he was really angry, wasn't he? Angry at Ratio's parents for treating him like a worthless person, just because he'd decided not to do the same as his parents. Was it so wrong to decide to go his own way instead of imitating others?

"Don't talk to me like that. And don't talk nonsense on top of it. We didn't raise you that way--"

"No! You listen to me for once! I've stood by and said nothing for far too long, putting up with your antics." Aventurine ran an angry hand through his hair, ruffling it more than anything else. "Don't you understand, that all you've been doing for years is forcing me to do something that goes against me? I don't care about Nous and these so-called privileges. I don't care about the Genius Society. My choice is to help people think for themselves, to know how to make decisions for themselves, and if you don't understand and respect what I want to do, then there's no point in calling me again. "

"...Have you finished your monologue?" said Ratio's mother, her voice unshakable. Oh, Aventurine was beginning to see where Ratio's stubbornness came from. Fortunately, he was known to be even more stubborn.

"Actually, no. Don't pretend to love me if it's just to manipulate me further. It won't work anymore. Today I'm a happy man, with a job I love, and it's certainly not thanks to you. I was forced to grow up alone because my parents weren't interested in me, they were interested in what I could do, what I could become. Well, I hope I've disappointed you. Don't call me again if it's to ask the same thing over and over again. Call me instead to ask how I, your son, am doing."

He heard a murmur on the other end, but didn't give her a chance to speak. Aventurine hung up, hands shaking. Wow, he really had lost his temper, hadn't he? But he wasn't sorry. It was all she deserved for making Ratio suffer all these years.

When he closed his eyes for a moment, he saw Ratio's lost and confused face again, when he had talked about his childhood, about the child he had once been, who had received no comfort from his parents.

Aventurine was furious, his blood boiling.

Ratio deserved so much better than what he had been through.

This situation between Ratio's parents and Ratio himself could have been resolved much sooner, Aventurine was sure, if only Ratio had talked about his feelings. If only he had said that he wasn't interested in following in his parent's footsteps and had explained what he really wanted to do. If only his parents had been more understanding and listened to him.

But Ratio had preferred silence, and his parents had taken advantage of it.

 A communication problem had only driven them further apart, leaving instead a chasm where love was not or no longer present. Aventurine wasn't the best person to talk about communication (he'd run away at the slightest opportunity when the conversation got a little too emotional for him), but he had proof, now, of what a lack of communication could do.

Was he really going to do the same thing with his relationship with Ratio?

was he never going to tell him how he felt about him? Because he was afraid that Ratio wouldn't understand, that he would be disappointed, or worse ... that he would be disgusted? But would Ratio really do that? Could he simply trust Ratio?

Clutching the phone he still held in his hands, his determination grew.

It was high time to have an honest conversation with Ratio, to be able to talk to him about anything and everything, and to confess certain things that both of them had avoided for too long. There was no point in waiting, in being afraid of the other's reaction, because in the end it would only lead to more regrets. Aventurine had enough of them, and he was sure Ratio had as well.

When he returned to his own apartment, only the little cats greeted him with tenderness, love and claws. It was still a little early for Ratio, but that didn't matter. He could use the time to play with the critters and above all to think about what he wanted to say.

Reaching further into the apartment, he picked up a small rope that had been left on the floor and began to play mechanically with the cats. The little felines put out their claws and teeth, trying to nibble at the rope and catch it, their huge pupils dilated to the maximum.

Aventurine was not used to thinking long and hard before he spoke. Yes, during negotiations, when he was at work, he was careful about what he said, but that was where it stopped. But here, he was going to make a real effort to communicate so that Ratio would understand what he meant.

All his life, he was the one who had preferred to hide, never saying what he really thought, because what was the point of showing his vulnerable side when everyone else would just take advantage of his weaknesses?  But not Ratio. With everything that had happened lately, with him screwing up but Ratio going easy on him, and even Ratio doing his best to defend him (but getting it wrong sometimes), he could confidently say that he trusted Ratio.

He had not realized this until it was far too late.

But he could still solve the situation. Ratio was there, ready to listen, and wouldn't laugh at him or insult him.

God, Ratio was way too good to him, Aventurine thought. How could anyone put up with a madman obsessed with dangerous bets, risks and destructive tendencies? His heart clenched at the thought that Ratio was truly a remarkable man.

Not for his abilities, his scientific research, but for Ratio as a person, with his faults, but especially his qualities.

The cats managed to snatch the rope from his hands, and the little rascals ran off with their find, proud to have stolen the object from Aventurine's hands. He watched them for a moment, his eyes full of affection for them and for someone else.

Small chewing sounds reached his ears, the cats now chewing on the rope.

Aventurine got up from where he'd been kneeling and, having nothing better to do, turned on the TV. He flipped through the channels, but nothing really interested him. He ended up with some stupid reality show that, if Ratio had been there, Aventurine was sure would have made his brain explode.

He bit his nails, wondering endlessly if he would be able to communicate his feelings properly or if he would give up halfway through.

The door opened later that evening as one of his fingers bled from gnawing too close to his skin, and he quickly rubbed his hands over his pants, trying to make the sweat disappear.

"Gambler?" asked Ratio from the doorway, and... Aeons. Even that simple word had become so affectionate over time. It was no longer an insult.

"Hi!" he replied, unable to stop himself from smiling, his nerves on edge.

Seconds later, Ratio entered the living room, careful not to step on the little creatures. And when Ratio saw him, the usual little frown was there. He was probably wondering what he was doing here when he wasn't supposed to be. He was worried, as always. Worried about Aventurine.

Then, taking pity on him, Aventurine let out a soft little laugh, "Everything's fine, Ratio. No need to make that face." Ratio scoffed and Aventurine patted the spot next to him on the sofa, inviting Ratio to sit next to him. "But come and sit down. I want to talk to you."

Surprise appeared on Ratio's face for a moment before it disappeared, and Ratio came and sat down next to him.

"...What did you want to talk about?"

Aventurine turned his head. This was the hard part. He dreaded saying the first word, because the first word was always the hardest in a conversation. But that didn't break his resolve. He had to do it, for himself (it was the first time in a long time that he'd done something with himself in mind), but also for Ratio.

The easiest way was to start at the beginning.

"I had a little talk with your mother," he began, his tone as light as possible. "I don't know if it was really my place, and I would totally understand if you disagreed with what I did, but when she spoke, all I could remember was what you told me. What you lost as a child, what you could have had. And, uh. I told her what I thought of them and how they'd treated you all these years."

Ratio sighed deeply. "And how did she take it?" he asked, as if resigned to his fate.

"Oh. Uh. I don't know, I hung up on her."

Ratio looked at him as if he had grown two heads, and Aventurine held back a laugh, afraid that Ratio would think he was making fun of him.

In a tired tone, surely because nothing could surprise him anymore, Ratio replied, "I suppose I'll see her reaction when I call her back sometime..." He scratched the tip of his nose. "I wonder how she reacted. After all, I never acted like that with my parents, although... The urge to do so was sometimes much too strong."

"Well, I did it for you," Aventurine said in a cheerful voice. "I hope they realize they've done something wrong and will eventually apologize."

His friend nodded rigidly, surely wondering if that was all Aventurine had to say, or if he'd have to admit to some other stupid thing he'd done and Ratio would still have to suffer the consequences. Aventurine would want that, frankly, because it was easier to say he'd done something stupid again than to talk about his feelings.

He looked away, deciding to focus on his hands playing with a piece of cloth. He bit his lip, " If you had talked to your parents properly, told them what you didn't like, what you didn't want to do, maybe they would have understood... So in the end, it all comes down to communication." He took a deep breath. "This conversation has forced me to question myself. I realize how much I've always wanted to run away from a serious conversation, be it with you or with myself. But I refuse to do it again now and not admit to you some things I've been hiding for far too long."

He paused trying to collect his thoughts as best he could. After a few seconds, he resumed a lump in his throat, "I always thought what I felt for you was admiration. But my feelings go much deeper than that. There is only one feeling stronger than admiration..." He turned his head so that Ratio couldn't see his expression. He clenched his fists and continued, "And... And that's love. Ratio, sometimes when I'm alone, this feeling scares the hell out of me. Because I don't want this feeling to be the end of our friendship if you don't feel the same. I'm scared because the last time I felt like this, my sister's throat was slit right in front of my eyes. And I promised myself then that I would never get attached to another person that way again, because when that person has to go, the pain will be far too great and it won't be worth it. But I'm willing to make an exception for you... I'm willing to take the risk... Veritas, because with you I have the chance to be less afraid, less alone in the miserable life I've managed to create."

He heard a gasp from beside him. In a faint voice, Ratio whispered, "Aventurine..."

His fists clenched tightly in his lap. "Ah, don't say anything, please, or I'll panic and shut up."

When he heard nothing, just the sound of someone breathing a little faster next to him, he continued, his voice filled with emotion, "I confess that when we first met, my feelings for you were a little mixed. I wasn't sure what you wanted from me, and I was afraid that you were like all the others, judging me because I was born in a certain place. But... then I got to know you! Haha, I've never been so confused in my life. 'Why did he ask me how I was doing?'  'Why does he ask this question every day?' 'Why did I like that he asked me that question?' Ah, Ratio, I was terribly stupid."

He ran a hand through his hair, ignoring its trembling.  "Time passed, and I think it was only with our body swap that I understood my feelings for you. It allowed me to get to know you better, to understand you. Even though there were ups and downs, I don't think I would change anything. Because without this situation, I would have remained blind and I wouldn't have dared to take this step with you.

"So even if you don't share my feelings, at least I would have said them, and I'm glad about that. Whatever your decision is, I'll understand it and respect it."

Woah, it was out, and yet he didn't feel better at all. All Aventurine wanted to do was flee his apartment and hide somewhere where no one could find him, including Ratio. Ratio, still standing beside him, saying nothing, and seemingly petrified by what he'd just heard, if the heavy silence between them said anything.

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to remain calm, but he could feel that his nerves were on edge.

And still, Ratio said nothing.

Fuck, no, I can't do this.

He turned suddenly around and looked everywhere but at Ratio's face. He didn't want to see his expression for fear that it would stay in his memory for the rest of his life. He began to laugh, sounding more like a high-pitched dog bark than anything else, "You know what? I was just kidding! I'm gonna go--"

A throat-clearing sound reached his ears before a hand reached for his. To prevent him from fleeing, Aventurine realized. He heard Ratio say in an uncertain voice, "Wait. I do apologize. I just wanted to make sure I was really conscious and that it wasn't an illusion."

Despite the fact that he was doing everything to avoid Ratio's gaze, he felt it all the same, that intensity, forcing him to sit in place and listen to what the other had to say.

"I must confess," Ratio resumed with a note of vulnerability in his voice. Perhaps it was his voice that had become soft, or it was the affection that Aventurine managed to distinguish without problems, "I didn't expect this day to arrive any time soon, and that you'd be the one to bring it up first. But it's a nice surprise," he added when he saw the grimace on his face. "I... I don't even know where I should start talking about my feelings for you. I've got so much to say, I think even you'd end up getting tired of hearing me, so I'll try to sum it all up in a few sentences."

Hesitantly, Ratio placed his hands on Aventurine's shoulders, forcing him to finally meet the other's gaze. A whirlwind of emotion swirled in the purple and cyan eyes, and Aventurine closed his eyes to avoid being swept away by the storm that was Ratio.

Ratio continued quietly, "I have been feeling the same things as you for a long time, but I think it was only recently that I finally knew what those feelings were. And when I finally found out how I felt, I was far too afraid to admit it to anyone, including myself. But I'm forced to admit now that my feelings are real. You're the only person who truly understands me and sees me for who I am, not for everything else around me. To me, you're a symbol of strength, and my heart aches to know how you could have become such a person. But I know that it helped shape you into the person you are today... And, I must add, you are perhaps the only intelligent person who can stand up to me, who can put up with me.  You manage to hold a conversation with me, even though I know that sometimes it's more of a debate than anything else. Sometimes you say things in a way that makes me feel like I'm the idiot and you're the genius I should have been listening to all along."

Aventurine let out a wet laugh as his eyes filled with tears he refused to let fall.

"I'm not like that," he sniffed pathetically. He hesitated for a few seconds before opening his mouth again, avoiding Ratio's gaze. "In truth, I was pretty sure that my feelings would not be reciprocated. After all, who could love a slave?"

"Aventurine..."

"And even now, after what you've said... I find it hard to believe. What if it was all just a dream? That I wake up and it never really happened? I don't know if I could face that reality, and I'm not even sure I want to. Facing it alone when I know there can be two of us is worse than knowing we'll be alone forever."

Ratio took his hand, tenderly stroking his knuckles as if he were a fragile person who might break at any moment. Aventurine concentrated on the repeated gesture and met Ratio's gaze...

... He froze at the honesty of Ratio's look, filled with tenderness and admiration, amidst the tears that he himself let flow freely down his cheeks. So Aventurine's body was still capable of shedding tears after all...

Ratio murmured without taking his eyes off him, unashamed of his feelings, "Believe me, this is reality.  And if you are dreaming, then let me wake you up, let me tell you again that you are very precious to me, that my feelings for you have grown day by day and seem to be deeply anchored in my heart and can't go away.  I will say it a million times if necessary."

He closed his eyes for a moment. "I was also afraid that what I was feeling wouldn't be shared, so I had preferred not to jeopardize our friendship, which has become important to me."

Biting his lower lip, Aventurine admitted, "We're both stupid."

"Haha, yes, I suppose so."

They both stood there for a moment, holding hands and trying to calm their emotions. Aventurine still couldn't believe it. He had dared to do something, and for once it hadn't ended disastrously. He'd managed to talk about his feelings, not hide behind a mask, and while that was far from a feat for many, he was proud of what he'd accomplished.

Ratio was the first to break the silence, shattering the little cocoon they'd created for themselves.

 Still holding his hand, he breathed, "Once we've settled the situation, I suggest we concentrate on ourselves and where we want to take our relationship. It would be awkward to do anything when we're not in our own bodies."

A smile lit up Aventurine's face, chasing away the last of her tears. "I agree. I can't imagine kissing my body when I know you're in it!"

"Mhh. Yes. It would be pretty embarrassing. I have to admit."

Aventurine sat down more comfortably on the sofa, now that his stress had passed. "But how are we supposed to get our bodies back? We've looked everywhere and found no answers. It's been months now..."

"Just because we haven't found a solution yet, doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Ratio said sternly. Ah, he resumed his role as a teacher. "The universe is huge, there must be someone or something that holds the keys to what we're looking for. Patience, gambler."

Aventurine pouted, but nodded anyway.

Surely this situation would come to an end soon, even though it had been a long time since they had switched bodies? Right? With all that had happened, his fear of returning to his body had vanished. All he wanted was to be back in his body and finally be able to act as Aventurine at all times instead of Ratio. Because you know what? Acting as Ratio is a lot more tiring than he'd imagined. 

Secretly, he pinched his thigh to make sure he wasn't in a dream, but as Ratio had said, he wasn't.

And for once, reality was much sweeter than any dream.

Chapter Text

Something was wrong.

Ratio could breathe easily without a weight on his chest. There were no lousy cats to share his bed with, no purring in his ear, and no mewing to wake him up and feed the cats.

It was complete silence.

In fact, when he moved in his bed, the sheets moved with him in a way he appreciated. It was very much like the bed he hadn't been able to sleep in for several months.

Almost hesitantly, he opened one eye, and his view was greeted by a more than familiar ceiling.

He froze, eyes wide open.

Lifting his arm to the ceiling, he examined his hand, noticing the calluses. The skin on his fingertips was also harder, as he spent most of his time turning the pages of a book or writing his research by hand.

He ran a hand tentatively through his hair, noticing that it was slightly longer than Aventurine's.

Oh.

...How could that be?

He was back in his own body.

A wave of euphoria and relief washed over him for a moment, and all he could do was lie there and stare up at his long-missed ceiling.

It seemed as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and he found himself almost bewildered. Despite all the inconveniences, he had finally gotten used to Aventurine's body, and now that he was free of it, he felt like a fish swimming in the ocean for the first time, whereas he was used to living in an aquarium.

But while he was relieved that everything was back to how it used to be, his brain couldn't help but wonder why. Why had they returned to their bodies only now? What had caused the change?

He and Aventurine hadn't done anything in particular last night, apart from the long conversation they'd had. But that could not have caused such a change, not at all.

Ratio was confused. It was rare for him to feel this emotion, but it was the case at this moment, and it was all he could feel.

Turning his head to his nightstand, he saw that his phone was there, where he usually placed it. A small smile appeared on his face, despite himself, as he realized that Aventurine really had followed his instructions to the letter.

There was no message from the gambler, which meant that he was probably still asleep and hadn't noticed the change yet. After all, it was still early. Ratio had simply woken up because his body didn't need that much sleep. Ah, how he had missed it...

Gently rising from his bed, he did his stretches, surprised to see how flexible his body was, but more importantly... how tall he was! Ah, he had forgotten.

When he really understood that it wasn't a dream, he rushed to his bathroom, where his bathtub and his rubber ducks greeted him in all their glory. Ratio hurried to turn on the water, unable to resist relaxing in a nice hot bath. He didn't forget to put his favorite oil in the water. These gestures were so normal...so comforting.

After all that had happened, he felt he deserved a little something to pamper himself with.

As the hot water flowed into the tub, he looked at himself in the mirror. It was amazing to see how his eyes shone in the light, a glimmer of life deep in his eyes. Aventurine's eyes were dead, like those of a fish whose throat had just been cut. The contrast could not have been more poignant. 

When he looked at himself in the mirror while in Aventurine's body, no light could penetrate and do justice to the color of his eyes. This was how Ratio had found out that even if the soul was different, it would still seem as if the body had memories of its own.

As smoke rose from the water and a scent of lavender tickled his nostrils, Ratio dove into the water with a satisfied sigh. He examined one of his rubber ducks before soaking and cleaning it as well.

He hadn't told the gambler about this little routine he liked to do for fear of being laughed at. But he really enjoyed making sure his rubber ducks were as clean as he was.

As he stayed underwater for a good while, with only the sound of water flowing into his bathtub when he moved, he could hear the incessant knocking of the person at his door.

"Ah, I guess the gambler woke up," he grumbled, but a smile still appeared on his face.

He hurried out of his bath, putting on a simple shirt and casual pants, his hair still dripping with water.

And when he opened the door, he wasn't surprised to see Aventurine, in his own body. What a pleasure it was to see that everything was back to normal.

Aventurine had also dressed in a hurry, wearing a simple dark green sweater, his hair still disheveled from sleep.

Ratio was not even aware that he had a grin on his face from ear to ear, but Aventurine suddenly blurted out, "Oh, my god, Ratio. You're so beautiful."

Feeling his cheeks flush, he said sternly, unable to help himself, "Don't you think there are more important things to talk about than my so-called beauty? Like the fact that we're back in our own bodies, mhh?"

The blonde shrugged, obviously unperturbed, and invited himself into his apartment. "There's not much to talk about," he said mechanically. "We're back in our bodies. That's it. I think we should talk about more important things."

"Like what?"

Aventurine followed him into the kitchen and sat down next to the table, while Ratio put the kettle on to boil some water for a well-deserved cup of tea.

Behind him, Aventurine let out a small laugh. Almost nervously. "Like our discussion last night?"

"I don't see what there is to talk about," Ratio exclaimed sternly, trying to tease him a little. But Aventurine didn't seem to notice, because when he turned around, the blond was examining him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Ratio shook his head and let out a small laugh before approaching him. He hesitated for a split second before taking the gambler's hand in his own.  It was as cold as ever.

Aventurine looked at him, now surprised, and Ratio laughed lightly at him, "Why the long face, gambler? You're the one who said we should continue our conversation from last night."

The violet-cyan eyes that Ratio had come to appreciate softened considerably before the blond stood up to face Ratio. They were incredibly close, much closer than before.

Beside him, he could see how tense Aventurine was, but Ratio wasn't much better himself. His hands were clammy, but he heard no protest, a sign that the other wasn't paying attention at all.

The two looked into each other's eyes, trying to figure out what the other was thinking.

They could have stayed like that for a long time, lost in each other's gazes, but it was Ratio who acted first. He approached Aventurine gently as if to make sure the blonde wouldn't run away at the last moment, lowering his eyes to his lips before raising them again. Seeing that Aventurine made no protest, Ratio closed his eyes.

Their lips met for a moment.

He stepped back a few inches. Ratio didn't want to go too far, lest he overstep a boundary, so when their noses touched, he opened his eyes, surprised to see... to see something glowing deep in Aventurine's eyes.

They looked at each other for a moment before Aventurine pressed his lips to his again, closing his eyes once more.

Ratio concentrated only on the sensations, on the feelings of euphoria and joy inside him, while he briefly felt hands in his hair, as if caressing him. Ratio placed his hands on Aventurine's cheeks, allowing him to kiss him more deeply.

Aventurine tasted of mint, and a still-functioning part of his brain supplied the information that Aventurine had barely brushed his teeth before coming here.

The two of them lost themselves in the moment, and Aventurine became completely relaxed.

As they parted, Aventurine smiled sweetly with his flushed cheeks, and Ratio could only capture the sight in his mind, storing it away in his memory forever, like a thirsty man.

Ratio ran his tongue over his lips before murmuring, "Is this conversation to your liking, gambler?"

Aventurine laughed softly, not taking his eyes off him for a moment.

They were still holding each other, only inches apart, when the blonde murmured, "I never imagined that you... Veritas could be the sunrise that comes to illuminate me in this starless night."

Ratio watched his reflection through Aventurine's eyes, knowing there was some meaning to what he'd just said, but unable to fully grasp it.

The sight was so unreal that Ratio felt his lips move on their own and a smile filled with love and tenderness began to form. A smile reserved for only one person.

Aventurine, it seemed, was like him, unable to take his eyes off his face, tracing his features with his fingertips. His fingers hovered just above Ratio's lips, "My God, you're so beautiful. A smile suits you so well. You should do that grimace thing a lot less and show me that side of you instead. I like it very much."

"No. This view is only for one person. The other idiots can do without it."

Aventurine let out a laugh before they fell silent again. They could have kissed again, as many times as they wanted, but instead, they chose to watch each other, registering every detail about each other.

"She'd love you, you know," Aventurine whispered suddenly, his gaze slightly lost in memory. It wasn't hard for Ratio to figure out who he was talking about. "I know she'd be happy that someone is finally there for me, like she was all those years ago. You would have liked her too, Veritas... She was much more mature than me, haha. She knew how to stop me when I was about to do something stupid. She didn't hesitate to scold me when I put sand on her blanket because I thought it was funny. I still remember the look on her face when she had that mountain of sand on her blanket. But she was patient and knew that it wasn't easy for a child to grow up so deprived...".

"She seemed like a strong woman," he breathed, taking the gambler's hand. "I'm glad she took care of you so we could meet. I wish I could have met her to thank her properly. I guess I can only thank her in my thoughts and hope my thanks reach her where she is now."

Aventurine nodded, squeezing his hand tightly, as if to reassure himself or to thank him for what he'd just said. Ratio wasn't quite sure.

The days passed slowly as their routine returned to normal, though some changes had to be made. Ratio spent much more time in Aventurine's apartment, simply because the cats couldn't be left alone for too long. And it was impossible to ask the gambler to come home and leave the cats to their sad fate. So a compromise was quickly reached.

He and Aventurine explored their new feelings for each other. Together. Because Ratio had promised Aventurine that he would no longer be alone, and that they would do things together. So they both tried to show their love for each other, even though it was sometimes awkward, not knowing if it was the right way. Whether it was a little caress on the hand before leaving, a light kiss that barely touched the lips, or a word to inquire about the other, it seemed to work, judging by the pounding of his heart or Aventurine's flushed cheeks.

They tried to be what the other needed, and that was all Ratio could ask for. After a while, their relationship would progress; they'd be much more comfortable showing their love for each other, knowing by heart the little things that made each other happy.

But Ratio also savored those moments, for it was there that he truly learned about the person Aventurine was.

It was strange to return to his everyday life after several months of living as Aventurine. Knowing what to do, not being afraid of what to say, and being able to act naturally was truly a weight lifted from Ratio's shoulders. He felt like he could breathe again.

He didn't dare admit it to anyone, but when he had returned to the university, he had hidden a small smile behind his hand, more than happy to see his students again. Although the accident with the student and the chalk was still on everyone's mind, he didn't hear a single person around him talking about it. The affair that was meant to destabilize him had not changed him or his reputation.

As for Aventurine, things were going pretty well on his side, if he had understood what Aventurine had told him. No one but Topaz had noticed what had happened, and despite Ratio's mistake on Lotis, Aventurine had suffered no consequences. As promised, Topaz changed his attitude towards Aventurine, and Ratio was secretly pleased to see the changes. She had invited the blonde to her home for tea, and the cats too, ostensibly to 'get to know Numby better'. If that was really the reason why she had invited Aventurine, he couldn't say, but to see the smile of happiness on Aventurine's face when he had come back with an abundance of stories to tell, made him very happy.

Jade, though terribly perceptive, hadn't acted any differently when she saw Aventurine back in his own body. Ratio trusted Aventurine's words. Only he could read Jade's mind, and if he said she hadn't seen anything, then she probably hadn't.

And when Ratio thought about it a bit more, if she had known what had happened, she would have certainly asked countless questions.  If it had been a certain technology that had allowed them to swap bodies, then she would have done anything to get her hands on it, knowing full well that it could be very profitable. The same was true for information about what had happened. Any information could be valuable. So, no, Jade didn't know what happened. 

...

Neither did they, in a way.

Despite all the research they'd done, Ratio hadn't found anything useful, nothing that could help him form a somewhat plausible theory. It was a mystery, and as a researcher, witnessing such a mystery consumed him with curiosity.

Some of the geniuses in the Genius Society had done a lot of research on body-swapping, but it was still just a theory. And no practical experiments had ever been conducted, proven, or successful.

So when Ratio had nothing better to do, he continued his research. Because even if they were no longer victims of this body swap, there was nothing to prove that this wouldn't happen again, or that other victims wouldn't be affected.

And the questions kept piling up in his mind. How could their souls have been transferred to another body without dissipating in the process? How had their consciousness not been shattered?

...Why them? What did he and Aventurine have that was so precious or that they shared that this could have happened to them?

Why, how: these two words seemed to whirl around in his mind without finding answers that could satisfy him sufficiently.

His phone vibrated, and Ratio smiled slightly, knowing that it was Aventurine telling him that he was about to arrive. He approached the small table where his phone sat in Aventurine's apartment.

He finally frowned, his smile disappearing as soon as he saw the message.

Herta (Genius Society member #83): Don't think I'm interested in you, because I have more important things to do, but how do you feel?

He stared at the message for a good minute, not understanding why Herta would ask such an unimportant question. She never made small talk without a reason.

Not knowing what to expect, he preferred to be brief.

Dr. Ratio: Fine.

The answer was immediate.

Herta (Genius Society member #83): Really? Then I guess my experiment was a success.

Dr. Ratio: What is that supposed to mean? Explain.

Herta (Genius Society member #83): I thought you were a genius. Do you really not remember our conversation the last time we saw each other? And I'm talking about you, not the other one from the IPC who was in your body the other time.

What?

The gears of his mind went into overdrive trying to retrieve his memories. He knew he'd been on the Station many months ago, long before he and Aventurine had switched bodies. He remembered...

He remembered drinking at a party the Geniuses had thrown... Drinking way too much compared to usual.

Yes.

Memories began to come back to him as he remembered that particular evening. This evening was special because it wasn't just reserved for members of the Genius Society, which is why he had been invited.

Something had made him extremely cranky, so much so that he had drunk glass after glass of champagne.

...

The bubbles tingled in his mouth, but he paid no attention to it. All he could think about was how casually Aventurine had brushed aside his questions. Their partnership had gone on for several months, and although there had been some notable moments that he wouldn't mention here, Ratio had ended up asking Aventurine several questions. Questions about him, to find out more about him.

After all, it was essential to know one's partner in order to work well in the field. He had explained these reasons to the blonde.

But the latter had rebuffed each of his requests with a firm smile on his face. And when Ratio had pressed further, Aventurine had abruptly said that if he'd forgotten their first meeting, he was more than willing to play russian roulette again. That was all he needed to know about Aventurine, he had said. To know how he operated, how he worked.

Despite all their months together, he hadn't earned Aventurine's trust, and that hurt him more than he cared to admit.

"Tell me, are you drinking so much because you're still angry about not being accepted into the Genius Society?" Herta sneered coldly from beside him.

Ratio immediately scowled. "This is none of your business. Leave me alone."

"Now, now, that's no way to talk to a genius like me. Tell me what's going on in your little head. I'm bored to death here, might as well pass the time."

Ratio watched the bubbles in his cup burst for a moment, lost in thought. He must have been drunker than he thought, because his mouth said without his consent, "... Just thinking that some people are totally incomprehensible. Nothing important".

"Oh? Please say more."

"I don't know how to understand someone when I've been by their side for many months. No matter how much time we spend together, I feel like I'm always in the presence of a stranger, impossible to understand or get to know."

"I see..." She put a hand to her chin and thought. "Wouldn't it be nice to understand each other? Imagine for a moment if you could know the life... No, live the life of that person. Then you would be able to understand the other person. But how could we do that, live someone else's life? Huh... That's something to think about more..." she had said and the conversation had ended. Too drunk, he didn't ask for more details, nor did he review the conversation.

...

Herta (Genius Society member #83): Anyway, was my experiment a success, were you able to 'understand' this person you were talking about with such a pitiful look?

Ratio was rarely at a loss for words, but this was one of those times.

He'd done a lot of research, spent months studying every textbook, every scholar's research, hurt his eyes in the evenings browsing the Internet... And the answer was there, right in front of him? And it was Herta who held the key?

He'd never imagined that a simple conversation between two glasses of champagne could take on such proportions.

And what should he do about Herta? Should he thank her warmly, because thanks to her Ratio had not only learned who Aventurine was, but he'd also developed feelings for him? No. Despite what this experiment had led to, Herta had still been conducting tests on them, without their consent and without their knowledge. She was definitely a member of the Genius Society for conducting an experiment without asking her 'subjects'' permission.

His phone vibrated again.

Herta (Genius Society member #83): I'll take your silence as a yes. Don't bother me anymore, I'm not available.

Ratio winced at Herta's nerve and ran a hand through his hair.

At least, if it was any consolation, he didn't have to do any more research, the solution had come to him all by itself.

He still couldn't believe what she had done. All he needed was a conversation with her to be experimented on?

Ratio should be angry, should be furious that Herta had used them in any way without asking for their consent first. And part of him was, he couldn't deny it, but another part of him... was simply relieved that this story was ending for good, and on as good a note as it was now.

The experiment could have been disastrous, but instead, it had brought him closer to Aventurine. So maybe for once... he could close his eyes and just enjoy what he had now?

The door of the apartment opened and he could hear a meow greeting the person who had just arrived.

"Ratio, I'm here!" Aventurine announced, as if Ratio hadn't heard him.

He deleted Herta's messages before putting the phone down again, a smile immediately forming on his face. He went to the entrance of the apartment, where the sounds of meowing, laughing and clawing could be heard.

As he approached the entrance, Aventurine was on his knees, a cat with its claws deep in his pants, trying with all its might to climb onto his lap. Another had landed on Aventurine's head, using his hair as a cozy nest in which to rest. Ratio didn't know how it had ended up there, and he didn't really want to know.

The last of the cats, the wisest, Ratio wanted to say, was standing at the blonde's feet, quietly waiting for his caresses, which Aventurine promptly gave him.

When he saw him coming, Aventurine met his eyes, a tender glow in them.

Ratio leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

"Welcome home, Aventurine."